Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Access and Integration Specialist

Title: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Access and Integration Specialist

Salary $71,376.00 - $80,000.40 Annually

Location Denver, CO

Job Type Full Time

Job Number QAA 00150 07.01.2025

Department Department of Early Childhood

FLSA Determined by Position

Type of Announcement This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Primary Physical Work Address 710 S. Ash St., Denver, CO 80246

FLSA Status Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.

Job Description:

STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENCY REQUIRED  

NOTE: This announcement may be used to fill multiple openings. 

Colorado Governor Jared Polis is committed to building a Colorado For All, a place where everyone has an opportunity to succeed and live the Colorado way of life. Governor Polis is focused on lowering health care costs for hardworking Coloradans, transitioning the state to renewable energy sources, ensuring every Colorado child gets a quality education, and building an economy that works for everyone.

  Committed to Diversity - We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.   If you're looking for a place where you can be your authentic self at work and celebrate the uniqueness of those around you, then we want to talk to you! State of Colorado employees were asked to reflect on their experience with equity, diversity, and inclusion. Click here to learn more about their experiences Colorado For All - Colorado Employees Reflect on Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion.

 We offer a generous benefits package including:

•   11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
•   Medical, dental, and vision plans
•   State paid life insurance policy
•   Choice of 2 retirement plans (defined benefit or defined contribution)
•   Optional 401(k) and 457 plans
•   State paid short-term disability coverage
•   Additional optional life and disability plans
•   Credit Union membership
•   Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

This position will have the opportunity for a hybrid schedule (a combination of in-office and remote workplace).  Please note - equipment provisioning and certain onboarding tasks will take place in person, in our downtown Denver office, on the first day of employment.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) ensures the delivery of a comprehensive, community-informed, data-driven, high-quality, and equitable early childhood system that supports the care, education and well-being of all Colorado's young children, their families and early childhood professionals in all settings. CDEC provides access to collaborative, coordinated, quality early childhood programs and support to children, families, and early care professionals in an effort to best prepare Coloradans for future success. CDEC works with many partners, including parents, schools, child care providers, Early Childhood Councils, counties, Community Centered Boards, early intervention service providers, family resources centers, county human services, county public health, businesses, community organizations, and other stakeholders to provide high-quality early childhood and family support programs.

The Early Childhood Mental Health Unit is a part of the Division of Community and Family Support. The Division of Community and Family Support (DCFS) helps to provide families, providers, and communities across Colorado with the resources they need to support the health and well-being of young children. The Unit serves as the state lead for the Incredible Years (IY), a two-generation evidenced-based set of training programs that simultaneously train parents, teachers, and children in social-emotional functioning skills and parenting skills. The goals of IY are to improve parent-child relations, improve parental functioning, improve student-teacher relations, prevent onset of conduct behaviors and emotional problems, and to promote emotional regulation and academic readiness among children. The Unit also provides intensive, home-based services through Child First a national, evidence-based, two-generation model that works with young children and families. Child First helps families, and the providers who support them, build strong, nurturing relationships that heal and protect young children from the devastating impact of trauma and chronic stress.

Finally, the Unit's Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Consultation program and ECMH Support Line offer a no-cost, confidential program that pairs masters-level mental health professionals (or related field) with adults caring for children age birth to 6-years, including the prenatal and postpartum period, to build the adults' capacity to promote social-emotional development and mental wellbeing of the child(ren) in their care. The ECMHC program is comprised of infant and early childhood mental health consultants who have deep expertise in early childhood, social-emotional development, and mental health. ECMH consultants provide culturally and linguistically responsive services to adults across settings where young children learn and grow using a strength-based approach that leverages the consultative stance to cultivate knowledge, skills, and reflective capacity within the adults with whom they partner.

What you'll be doing: 

This position is responsible for the high-quality implementation and integration of innovative Early Childhood Mental health (ECMH) service delivery modalities for the ECMH Unit. The IECMH Access and Integration Specialist holds a master's-level mental health degree and is license-eligible, and the majority of their work is directly with ECMH clients via innovative services (e.g., ECMH Support Line, Statewide Brief Consultation, etc.)to observe and evaluate mental health and behavioral patterns, identify areas of concern, support the development of intervention strategies, and provide education and guidance to individuals and groups using established professional frameworks and best practices.

In addition, agency management routinely relies on the essential consultation of this staff authority before deciding broad, critical program and policy direction related to fidelity implementation of the Colorado Model of ECMHC, new services integration, improvements to the state data system, and other quality assurance initiatives. This role will design strategy, systems, processes, guidelines, rules, and standards that are mission-critical and directly impact innovative service operations and broad program and policy. Finally, this position monitors service provider and technical vendor contracts related to innovative services. This position is critical to the increased service capacity, integration, and operations of innovative services as part of a larger suite of ECMH programming and services. 

Major Job Duties include, but are not limited to:  

• Behavioral Health Service Provision 

• This position is responsible for the timely response to incoming inquiries and referrals as part of a ECMH Consultant workforce that receives statewide referrals (i.e., ECMH Support Line, Statewide Brief request form, online via the ECMH Consultation Referral Form, etc.). 

• Along with contracted innovative service providers, this position acts as a first point of contact for families and child care providers who are caring for a child under 6 years of age and are seeking resources to support children's mental health. 

• Explains early childhood mental health and the consultation process to families and child care providers in a culturally responsive manner and uses third-party interpretation services as appropriate. 

• Conducts an intake, provides information on the available options and resources, explains the consultation process, determines readiness and eligibility, utilizes developed protocols to connect incoming requests with next steps, enters child and family information into the data system, and sends notification of new referral through the point of transfer to their local ECMH entity. 

• ECMH Training and Technical Assistance 

• This position is responsible for ensuring timely and accurate responses to incoming inquiries from consultants, supervisors, ECMH Consultation Program Administrator, and ECMHC program evaluation/research teams related to consultation practice, state data system use, and data entry. 

• Along with the CDEC team, this position will provide critical subject matter expertise and lead the Unit's development of a consultant-led system of coaching, peer consultation, and technical assistance. 

• Uses information from their service provider role/activities, contracted service providers, and common technical assistance requests to facilitate data-informed discussions, co-develop solutions, and responsive training and/or materials, and author new tickets/acceptance criteria to support ECMHC data system maintenance and enhancements.  

• Provides behavioral health subject matter expertise to ECMHC workforce, ECMH Unit staff, and key partners.

• Creates and manages new data system requests for bugs, operations and maintenance, and enhancements as needed.

• Oversees and facilitates a 4-6 person workgroup composed of ECMHC workforce to provide regular guidance on new or existing CDEC ECMHC data system enhancements and inform testing, troubleshooting, and documentation for new releases.

• Tracks and monitors new data system requests. Coordinates workgroup and subject matter experts to provide guidance and required testing to support quarterly releases.

• Innovative Services: Process Management and Operations

• This position is responsible for the oversight and operations of innovative ECMHC services (e.g., ECMH Support Line, Statewide Brief Consultation, etc.), including timely and effective management of related service provider and technology contracts. 

• Along with the CDEC team and contracted providers, this position assesses data and community need and takes tactical and strategic approaches to realize a larger ECMHC vision of (1) increased equitable, statewide access to ECMH information, resources, and referrals, (2) increased awareness, reduced stigma, and connection of adults to timely resources through consistent, high-quality customer service, and (3) intentional collaboration with the local ECMH implementation sites (e.g., Comprehensive Safety Net Providers and Early Childhood Councils) to build meaningful and effective partnerships between the innovative service providers and local consultants.

• Responsible for the oversight and operations of innovative ECMHC services, including assessing reach, facilitating workgroups, service providers, and technology contracts.

• Supports ECMH Consultation Program Administrator in preparing relevant contract documents, submitting amendments, approving invoices, monitoring operations budget, and requesting quotes when needed.

• Engages in speaking engagements such as state meetings, conferences, and other communication channels to reduce mental health stigma, provide general education on infant and early childhood mental health, and increase awareness and access to IECMH services. 

• Other duties as assigned

Residency Requirement: 

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application. 

Class Code & Classification Description: 

 C7C4XX

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL IV

Minimum Qualifications

Experience Only:

A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience in a field related to adult and child mental health, which must include experience in the following areas: early childhood development; family systems; factors affecting children's behavior and mental health; developmental science and milestones; consultative models of practice; and available services that support children and families in managing stress.  This experience must also include:  At least two (2) years in infant and early childhood mental health consultation;  At least three (3) years in community collaboration and/or building relationships with key stakeholders;  A minimum of one (1) year of full-time, paid work in mental health prevention.  Candidates must be license-eligible in a mental health field such as social work, psychology, or a closely related discipline, with a focus or demonstrated experience in early childhood development.

OR

Education and Experience: 

A combination of related education and/or relevant experience totaling at least seven (7) years in a field aligned with the responsibilities of the position. This may include psychology, social work, or a closely related discipline, with a focus or demonstrated experience in infant and early childhood development.  Candidates must be license-eligible in a mental health field such as social work or psychology and possess:  At least two (2) years of experience in infant and early childhood mental health consultation;  A minimum of three (3) years of experience in community collaboration and/or relationship-building with key stakeholders;  At least one (1) year of full-time, paid experience in mental health prevention.  All required experience must be encompassed within the overall seven (7) years of combined education and experience.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application and in the supplemental questions. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section and supplemental questions of your application will be reviewed to determine this. "See Resume" statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Substitutions: Additional related experience may substitute for the education on a year-for-year basis. Additional appropriate education in a related field may substitute for the experience requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bilingual (e.g., English and Spanish) and/or experience accessing third-party language services and partnering with interpreters
• Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), OR Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Be endorsed or working towards Endorsement for Culturally-Sensitive, Relationship Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health (IMH-E) and/or Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH-E)
• Completed trainings/certifications for Climate of Healthy Interactions for Learning & Development (CHILD) Assessment, including the CHILD Infant/Toddler (I/T) Addendum Training, Devereux Early Childhood Assessment-Clinical (DECA-C) Assessment, DC: 0-5 Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood Training
• Experience and expertise in the consultative stance
• Experience managing onboarding, peer-to-peer training, and/or behavioral health training and technical assistance
• Experience with electronic health records and best practices for data entry
• Experience developing and providing presentations for diverse audiences including families, early childhood professionals, and local communities
• Experience leading reflective supervision and/or practice groups
• Experience leading or participating on a state or community board or task force
• Able to multi-task, prioritize, and manage time effectively
• Ability to be self-motivated and self-directed, while possessing the ability to work in a team environment.

Highly Desired: 

• Experience with community engagement, partnership building, breaking into new markets and gaining new customers
• Experience with continuous quality improvement, rapid-cycle learning, and process improvement initiatives 
• Ability to review performance data, think critically, and make data-informed decisions
• Experience with change management frameworks and practices
• Experience building consensus and managing complex projects 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented, often virtual work environment
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication and public speaking skills
• Proficient computer skills, experience with Salesforce, Google Suite, Smartsheet, and Microsoft Office Suite 

Conditions of Employment: 

• A pre-employment criminal background check will be conducted as part of the selection process as this position is deemed to have direct contact with vulnerable persons. Felony convictions, convictions of crimes of moral turpitude, or convictions of misdemeanors related to job duties may disqualify you from being considered for this position. Should your background check reveal any charges or convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the CDEC with an official disposition of any charges.
• Travel - Occasional travel is required less than 5% of the time and may require travel in adverse conditions or overnight stays.

DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:Work that involves exercising discretion, analytical skill, judgment, and personal accountability, and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, and sharing an organized body of knowledge that characteristically is uniquely acquired through an intense education or training regimen at a recognized college or university; equivalent to the curriculum requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree with major study in or pertinent to the specialized field; and continuously studied to explore, extend, and use additional discoveries, interpretations, and application and to improve data, materials, equipment, applications and methods. 

APPEAL RIGHTS:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department's action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Transfer, Non-Disciplinary Demotion or Reinstatement 

If you believe that you are eligible to be considered as a transfer, non-disciplinary demotion, or reinstatement to this vacancy, you must submit a completed application following the directions in this job announcement and you will be included in the selection process along with other qualified applicants.  If you are the finalist for this position after the selection process, Human Resources will confirm your eligibility to be appointed as a transfer, non-disciplinary demotion, or reinstatement applicant.   

ADAAA Accommodations:

CDEC is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to the HR Specialist Jenny Nguyen.

Technical Assistance:

If you experience difficulty in uploading or attaching documents to your online application, or for any other technical difficulties, call NEOGOV technical support anytime between 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (Pacific Time).   

The Department does not offer sponsored visas for employment purposes. 

METHODS OF APPOINTMENT: Appointment to the vacancy or vacancies represented by this announcement is expected to be from the eligible list created. However, at the discretion of the appointing authority, the position(s) may be filled by another method of appointment for a valid articulated business reason.