Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Homeless Children’s Network

Position Title: ECMH Consultant 

SALARY: $80,000

SCHEDULE: Full-time position. Onsite/Hybrid

BENEFITS: Health, Dental, and Vision insurance; Commuter stipend

HOMELESS CHILDREN’S NETWORK MISSION STATEMENT

Homeless Children’s Network’s (HCN) mission is to decrease the trauma of homelessness and domestic violence for children, youth, and families; to empower families; and to increase the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among service providers to end homelessness and poverty.  Since 1992, HCN has empowered San Francisco’s underserved and historically marginalized communities citywide toward a brighter future with love, wholeness, and healing.

About Homeless Children’s Network (HCN)

Since 1992, HCN has been San Francisco’s leading nonprofit agency for comprehensive early intervention and mental health support for underserved and historically marginalized children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or living in intergenerational poverty. Our mobile therapeutic model is both accessible and scalable, enabling clinicians to meet clients directly in the community. As the hub of a Collaborative of 60+ service agencies and community-based organizations, we serve over 2,500 clients each year, reaching those most reluctant to trust conventional mental health systems. Central to our work is our Afri-centric mental health and wellness model. This community-defined approach addresses health inequities and the persistent cycle of racism and trauma over generations. This model not only uplifts the Black/African American communities but also strengthens the behavioral health outcomes of all San Franciscans, fostering resilience, healing, and lasting change.

ECMH PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

Homeless Children’s Network’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program is an early intervention and prevention-based service that pairs a culturally competent mental health consultant with vulnerable communities who support infants and young children in various settings where they learn and grow, such as child care centers, shelters, and family resource centers. Consultants utilize a relationship-focused, equitable, and trauma-informed approach to build adults’ capacity to strengthen and support the healthy social and emotional development of children through their natural attachments.

POSITION SUMMARY:

HCN is one of four agencies throughout San Francisco that provides services focused on early childhood mental health consultation. We work directly with staff of the agencies and offer valuable support, feedback and advice on how to implement effective programs for the children and families to ensure healthy development during this crucial developmental stage of life. Services include consultation to parents, referrals for specialized services, parent education and support groups, direct therapeutic intervention with children and families, onsite training and support for providers, program consultation for partner sites, and child observation.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Consultative Stance

• The consultant’s role is to primarily listen, learn, and observe the relationships within the consultation environment including: staff to staff, staff to child, child to child, etc.
• Build a reflective practice and curious stance with staff either through individual or group consultation consultation, as well as modeling within the classroom space
• Deeper and more challenging conversations can start happening within the safety of the relationship. For example: Implicit bias, personal triggers, cultural competence, etc.
•  Co-create meaning around behaviors and Increase the adult’s capacity building skills with consultant’s support
•  Increase participation in holding a system wide mental health goal, plan, vision, etc. with the leadership team
•  Consultant can zoom in and out of all the levels of system (program, staff, family, child)

Service Settings

• Early Education Center
• Family Resource Centers
• San Francisco Unified School District 
• Family Childcare Centers

Menu of Services 

• Mental Health Consultation to Staff & Program
• Training Staff on Mental Health Related Topics
• Mental Health Consultation focused on Children Ages 0-5 - Individual, Families, Groups 
• Referrals and Case Management 
• Training to staff on mental health related topics
• Ages and Stages Developmental Screenings
• School/Classroom Observations
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support

Scope of Responsibilities for Consultant

• Support sites through consultative stance, utilizing Menu of Services to collaborate and support staff, families, and children
• Complete monthly documentation such as activity sheet, scenario app, and demographic survey

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Obtained at least a Master’s degree, especially in Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Social Work/Social Welfare, Marriage and Family Therapy, or similarly related field.
• Registered with the Board of Behavioral Science, BBS, or active in the registration process.
• Licensed in California.
• Experienced and knowledgeable in child development, especially in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, POC) families and communities.
• Knowledge of and/or interest in early childhood (0 - 5 years old) development and supports
• Working knowledge/experience related to issues of homelessness and domestic violence
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Positive attitude and team play with proven ability to work with people of different intersecting identities

HCN’s Community Culture

Of all the above important qualifications, bring the heartfelt quality of compassion, with exquisite cultural responsiveness as a primary guiding quality, not only of your professional life, but of what you hold dear.

Please bring a strong analysis of how race, ethnicity, culture, language, region, poverty, sexual and gender identity, age, education, opportunities and resources generationally made available or not, and systemic oppressions impact a person’s mental health.

Please have stories of your own life and how you have been a mover and shaker to transform these systems.

Please accept that HCN is a vibrant community that has a legacy that is of interest to you, and is also prompted to grow steadily, and with the respect of what has been done well central in the conversation.