Puget Sound Educational Service District seeks an Early Learning Mental Health Consultant to provide IN PERSON leadership and partnership within early learning systems to ensure mental health and wellness supports for children and families are included in the full range of early learning program services and systems. This position will provide technical assistance to staff through knowledge of typical and atypical child development, family engagement principles, inclusive early childhood education practices and accommodations, and individual classroom and teaching strategies and interventions. This position will serve as part of an interdisciplinary team to support early childhood providers, educators, and families in meeting the needs of children and families.

Open until filled; for best consideration, submit a complete application by best consideration date on 5/8/2025.

PSESD is one of nine regional educational agencies serving school districts and state approved charter and private schools in Washington. Serving over 39% of Washington’s K-12 public school students, our agency provides critical services designed to ensure that our students are ready to enter school, achieve at high levels in the K-12 system, and succeed in postsecondary endeavors. We are committed to becoming an Antiracist Multicultural Organization driven by equity in education. To learn more about PSESD, visit www.psesd.org/about-psesd.

Essential Functions

• Co-leads the development and implementation of the regional and cross regional early learning systems with the focus on school readiness for the purpose of eliminating opportunity gap, enhancing early learning services, and enriching family and community engagement.
• Compiles data from a wide variety of sources for the purpose of guiding program development and improvement, establishing differentiated site support approach, and coordinating regional activities that meet the needs of children, families, providers, and communities within the region.
• Coordinates regional program services specific to mental health for the purpose of ensuring fidelity and quality of implementation of early learning services based on the whole child approach and in compliance with established federal, state, and agency regulations and requirements.
• Embodies the principles and practices that form our culture and commitment to becoming an Antiracist Multicultural Organization for the purpose of meeting the Agency’s End: Success for Each Child and Eliminating the Opportunity Gap by Leading with Racial Equity.
• Facilitates or participates in meetings, workshops, and seminars (e.g. training, orientations, regional committees and conferences, etc.) for the purpose of conveying or gathering information, providing technical expertise, maintaining relationships, and/or supporting agency and program operations.
• Maintains a variety of manual and electronic documents, files and records for the purpose of providing up-to-date reference for compliance with ESD, state and federal regulations and/or grant requirements.
• Participates in monitoring activities (e.g. visiting sites, conducting observations, writing reports, etc.) for the purpose of ensuring compliance with federal and/or state regulations and requirements and Puget Sound ESD policies and procedures.
• Provides ongoing support and resources to regional early learning providers for the purpose of recommending policies, procedures, actions and/or materials, disseminating information and/or providing or organizing technical assistance and professional development.
• Researches a wide variety of topics (e.g. funding options, best practices, grant requirements, etc.) for the purpose of securing new funding and/or providing information and recommendations for program implementation.
• Responds to a wide variety of inquiries from others (e.g. subcontractors, school districts, professional organizations, etc.) for the purpose of strengthening regional early learning systems, improving capacity of educational leadership, and guiding regional professional development.
• Supervises personnel (e.g., provide coaching and consultation on technical issues, adaptive challenges, personnel matters, strategic opportunities, career goals, professional development, job performance, etc.) for the purpose of advancing the development of effective leaders and high performing teams and achieving agency and departmental objectives.

ANTIRACIST LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
CULTURAL PROFICIENCY: Articulates and applies historical context of racism and understands the current reality of students and communities of color in order to support racial equity. Actively demonstrates a commitment to supporting equity and inclusion, and serves as an advocate with colleagues, partners, and communities to meet the Agency's End and goal of becoming an Antiracist Multicultural Organization in support of eliminating the opportunity gap.
RACIAL EQUITY ADVOCATE: Recognizes, supports, and engages in dismantling institutional racism. Partners with and is accountable to those with whom we are in a transformational relationship, including children, families, and communities of color.
RACIAL EQUITY MINDSET: Demonstrates awareness of biases, internalized racial superiority and oppression. Leads with a racial equity lens and actively uses the racial equity tool in meaningful ways.
TRANSFORMATIONAL VALUES: Contributes to valuable and positive, antiracist transformation in individuals, organizations, and social systems in an effort to actively progress across the antiracist multicultural institution continuum. Is able to foster a sense of community and shared purpose via collaboration and cooperation with others inside and outside PSESD. Embodies the principles and practices that form the Agency’s culture. Operates from an abundance mentality that recognizes opportunities, and is optimistic and realistic about the future.

JOB-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
DATA GATHERING, ANALYSIS, AND SHARING: Collects, examines and synthesizes information from a variety of stakeholders and sources in a transparent manner that reflects best practices. Shares data in a thoughtful and responsible way in an effort to inform, understand issues, or enable decision making.
FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Possesses required functional/technical knowledge and skills to perform job responsibilities. Demonstrates active interest and ability to maintain level of knowledge and enhance and apply new functional skills.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING: Imparts relevant information to others to increase understanding and overall Agency effectiveness and alignment.
PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, AND PRIORITIZATION: Assesses the work to be performed, and considers how it should be organized and accomplished, with appropriate priorities and realistic time parameters.
RECORDKEEPING AND DOCUMENTATION: Gathers, organizes, and maintains records, following confidential information and security protocols as needed. Accurately documents relevant/essential actions, processes, and practices.

• Master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling or closely related field.
• Valid Mental Health Counselor; Independent Clinical Social Worker
• Equivalency: Mental Health Associate License may substitute for Mental Health Counselor or Advanced Social Worker License with job-related experience
• Professional experience working in programs inclusive of young children (birth-5) and their families in a mental health capacity
• Professional experience providing in-home therapies to children and families

• Comprehensive early childhood program or group therapeutic setting experience
• Consultation experience with childhood development, family dynamics and relationship building on individual/family, provider and/or community level
• Experience promoting positive early childhood mental health
• Experience working with diverse and/or low-income children and families
• Experience with inter-disciplinary teams
• Experience providing professional development or providing clinical supervision or consultation