Title: School Mental Health Navigator (Candidate must be fully licensed)

Starting Salary: $56,165 (Annually) Grant Funded

Job Summary:
In collaboration with local schools, school districts, Oakland Intermediate School Districts, and other stakeholders, the School Mental Health Navigator provides information, referrals, screening, and assessment of eligibility for public mental health services to students and families with mental health needs. Additionally, the School Mental Health Navigator assists students and families in accessing financial resources to reduce barriers to mental health services. With the assistance of the School Mental Health Resource and Referral Specialist, the Navigator coordinates services and collaborates with other entities that can support individuals in meeting their immediate needs.

Essential Functions:

Under direction perform the following:

• Facilitates families’ access to funding assistance for copays and deductible payments to reduce barriers to mental health services.
• Receives referrals from school social workers, counselors, psychologists, other faculty, students, families, and other community members to provide information, resources, and referrals.
• Engages referred student and/or student’s natural supports as needed.
• Conducts brief screenings.
• Refers to appropriate supports and services.
• Crisis services.
• In-school supports.
• Community-based supports and services (e.g., outpatient mental health services, support groups).
• Acts as primary liaison between OCHN, mental health service providers, and school.
• Determines eligibility for OCHN Medicaid specialty mental health services and, when applicable, appropriate level of care by utilizing clinical level of care tools (e.g., CAFAS, LOCUS, ASAM).
• Conducts follow-up to ensure successful and timely access to supports, services, and/or resources.
• Participate on the planning work group conducting program design.
• Identify primary agency (ies) for participants to be referred for mental health services and/or co-occurring disorders services.
• Develop preferred methods, forms, and timetables for exchanging information between OCHN, agencies providing mental health supports and services, and schools.
• Participate in treatment team meetings when indicated.
• Arrange and coordinate with substance use agencies for substance use disorder treatment services for persons with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Provide training to team members on how to screen for individuals exhibiting symptoms of mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders.
• Participate in trainings related to mental health issues and schools.
• Evaluates overall efficacy of School Mental Health Program services and engages in continuous quality improvement activities (CQI).
• Other duties as assigned.

Education Requirements:

• Individual must possess a Master’s degree in a mental health field.

***Bilingual in Spanish desirable***

Training Requirements (licenses, programs, or certificates):

• LLP, LP, LMSW, LPC, LMFT
• CAADC, CADC, CCS, CPS, CPC-R, CCDP or development plan preferred.

Experience Requirements:

• Two (2) years of experience in social work, human services, education ,psychology, or related field (required).
• Experience with crisis intervention, screening and assessment of children and adolescent populations, and experience with serious emotional disturbance, substance use disorders, and intellectual/developmental disabilities (strongly preferred).

Knowledge Requirements:

• Knowledge of the OCHN system, providers, eligibility criteria, and community referral resources.
• Knowledge of OCHN provider network, and how to access additional community services.
• Knowledge of public, private, and charter school systems and mental health resources available in schools.
• Knowledge of DSM-V criteria.
• Knowledge of Michigan Mental Health Code.
• Understanding of recipient rights policies.
• Understanding of trauma informed principles.
• Knowledge of Children’s Waiver and SED Waiver requirements.
• Knowledge of LOCUS, CAFAS, and ASAM requirements.
• Knowledge of substantial functional limitations.
• Ability to use screening, assessment, and intervention skills including skills for crisis intervention.

Competencies/Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Be able to articulate a complex service system while establishing positive rapport with individuals in need.
• Create a welcoming environment that demonstrates empathy and non-judgment.
• Demonstrates high level of proficiency with Word, Excel, database, and other relevant software programs.
• Demonstrates high level of interpersonal skills both in direct personal interactions and on the telephone.
• Demonstrates high level of oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrates ability to handle a high volume of relatively complex assignments accurately and timely.
• Demonstrates organizational skills needed to establish office procedures and maintain files and records.

Core Competencies

(Applicable to all OCHN Job Classifications)

• Interacting with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization; demonstrating loyalty to the organization and its mission and values; maintaining social, ethical, and organizational norms; firmly adhering to codes of conduct and ethical principles. (Integrity/Building Trust)
• Making customers and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions; developing and sustaining productive customer relationships, recognizing that the ultimate customer is the person served. (Customer Focus)
• Actively identifying new areas for learning; regularly creating and taking advantage of learning opportunities; using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learning through their application. (Continuous Learning)
• Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence in addition to consciously adopting organizational standards of excellence. (Work Standards)
• Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message. (Communication)

Special Information:

• Must have available means of transportation to and from OCHN and for required offsite meetings or site visits.
• Must be available for meetings and events which may occur outside of standard office hours.
• Work performed primarily in an office environment.
• Hybrid (onsite/remote) work schedule available.
• The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.