Specialist II - Intervention Services

Position Purpose

Works with students district wide to accelerate learning, and close achievement gaps by supporting their social and emotional health needs. Collaborates with campus staff and administrators to enhance and improve student academic achievement through the delivery of evidence-based programs and services that address students' emotional, social, and behavioral health needs in the academic setting. Additionally, the Intervention Specialist serves as the district support partner in the area of crisis response.


ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Instructional & Program Support

• Provides campus-based, short-term individual and structured group counseling services, for students identified under Special Education and being at-risk in the following areas: (academic, attendance, social/emotional, mental health, and behavior).
• Assist in supporting students in alternative placements through use of guided lessons in the OCI & ISS environment.
• Follows up and supports students transitioning to and from the district's Discipline Alternative Educations Program (DAEP).
• Develops Student Support Plans and provides follow-up.
• Provides information, knowledge, and skill to inform parents, teachers, administrators, and other relevant stakeholders on best practices.
• Utilizes appropriate data collection and progress monitoring to track academic, social, and behavior progress.
• Facilitates conflict resolution amongst students.
• Teaches students developmentally appropriate behavior replacement strategies.
• Supports staff with positive behavior intervention.

School & Community Relations

• Develops appropriate relationships with students and parents.
• Serves as a campus resource to faculty, staff, and administration, and community agencies in areas of intervention and mental health services.
• Demonstrates brief solution-focused interventions in working with students, families, and staff.
• Makes home visits as needed to gather information relating to students.
• Provides community resources as needed.
• Participates in campus students support teams to develop solutions for at-risk students.
• Implements appropriate awareness and prevention programs and classroom presentations in collaboration with other Guidance and Counseling personnel.
• Follow up with referrals/allegations related to the reporting programs such as Friends For Life, or reports made by school staff, students, and parents.
• Coordinates student leadership initiatives, as appropriate.

Crisis Support

• Provides intervention services in situations that are deemed crisis or critical by campus administrators to students, parents, and school staff.
• Assist in redirecting and de-escalating crisis behavior.
• Provides suicide risk prevention education to school staff, students, and parents as required by state law in collaboration with Guidance & Counseling personnel.
• Serves as a member of the Trauma Response Team, coordinating crisis response on campus as well as responding to other campuses affected by a traumatic event as requested.
• Conducts suicide screeners for students (including emergency parent conferences), and providing community resources.
• Provides case management services to students with severe and frequent behavior concerns.
• Coordinates social services that are beyond the purview of the campus.
• Coordinates crisis response in collaboration with district-level guidance and counseling staff. Response may include irregular hours, outside of the school day.

Program Management

• Provides campus leadership in the development and delivery of programs and services to the students and parent(s)/guardian(s).
• Compiles, maintains, and files all reports, records, and other required documents electronically.
• Follow and support the FWISD Guidance and Counseling framework.
• Adhere to ethics including Texas Educator Code of Ethics, School Social Work, and/or appropriate Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council standards.
• Work within the scope of school-based systems and programs.
• Ensures confidentiality with students and family records.

Safety

• Follows established safety procedures and techniques to perform job duties including lifting and climbing; operates tools and equipment according to established safety procedures.
• Corrects unsafe conditions in work area and promptly reports any conditions that are not immediately correctable to supervisor.

Personal Work Relationships

• All Fort Worth ISD employees must maintain a commitment to the District's mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Exhibits high professionalism, standards of conduct and work ethic.
• Demonstrates high quality customer service; builds rapport/relationship with the consumer.
• Demonstrates cultural competence in interactions with others; is respectful of co-workers; communicates and acts as a team player; promotes teamwork; responds and acts appropriately in confrontational situations.
• Engage in professional roles and relationships with students and stakeholders that foster wellness and student success.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Performs all job-related duties as assigned and in accordance with Board rules, policies and regulations. All employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of individual and group counseling skills.
• Knowledge of casework methods.
• Knowledge of prevention and intervention strategies, including behavior management interventions.
• Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws regarding education and students.
• Knowledge of multicultural diversity issues in the work place.
• Skill in individual and group counseling.
• Skill in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing with staff and the community in a multi-ethnic educational environment.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships, including using tact, patience, and courtesy.
• Skill in providing exceptional service to both internal and external customers.
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative teams, including teams from other departments.
• Ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with professional composure.
• Ability to effectively conference with teachers, parents, and students.
• Ability to instruct students and manage their behavior.
• Ability to present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations to students, parents, and district staff.
• Ability to use software to access databases, email, create spreadsheets, and do word processing.
• Ability to organize and coordinate work under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and proactively resolve issues.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.

Travel Requirements

• Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

Physical & Mental Demands, Work Hazards

• Tools/Equipment Used: Standard office equipment, including computer and peripherals; standard instructional equipment.
• Posture: Prolonged sitting; occasional stooping, squatting, kneeling, bending, pushing/pulling, and twisting.
• Motion: Frequent repetitive hand motions, including keyboarding and use of mouse; occasional reaching; frequent walking.
• Lifting: Regular light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds); occasional heavy lifting (45 pounds and over); may be required to lift and transfer students to and from wheelchair or assist with positioning of students with disabilities.
• Environment: Works in an office setting; may require occasional irregular and/or prolonged hours; may work outside; regular districtwide travel to student homes.
• Attendance: Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position.
• Mental Demands: Maintains emotional control under stress; works with frequent interruptions; may work prolonged or irregular hours.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Education:Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university in Mental Health & Human Service required;Master's degree from accredited college or university in a relevant field preferred.
• Certification/License: Possess a valid Texas professional license in at least one of the following in the State of Texas.Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC);Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC);Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT);Licensed Social Worker (LBSW, LMSW, LCSW).
• Experience:

Required Experience:

• 3-5 years' providing services to children and/or adolescents, especially those at high risk.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience using prevention and intervention skills with students and families;
• Experience with trauma-informed critical incidence response;
• Experience with school-aged populations including experience using prevention and intervention skills with students and families.

Approved combinations:
Education Experience
Bachelor's degree 5 years
Master's degree 3 years

• Language: Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

This is a grant-funded position and is contingent on availability of funds.

This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.