Position Summary:
The Developmental Specialist is responsible for implementing the HealthySteps model supporting patients ages birth to three and their families with healthy development. The Developmental Specialist will be an integral part of the care team, acting as a link between the clinical team and the family to ensure patient needs are met. They will facilitate communication about symptoms, diagnoses and treatment planning, and will enhance engagement between parents and clinicians, so that children are more likely to receive needed health services. The Developmental Specialist will conduct in-person and telehealth visits with families to help them connect with services and also provide education and support.

Key Responsibilities:

• Join the physician/pediatric nurse practitioner team on well child visits with parents and their babies and young children.
• Provide guidance under the supervision of qualified medical professionals and all practice staff with families with babies and young children regarding developmental and behavioral concerns such as sleep, discipline, picky eating, etc. and provide referrals and tracks follow-up, as appropriate, to help families make connections to key resources within the community.
• Collaborate with HealthySteps team to implement all core components of the program including universal child development and SDOH screening, making positive parenting and early learning guidance information readily available to all practice staff, and adjusting workflows for optimal efficiency.
• Provide guidance under the supervision of qualified medical professionals and all practice staff re: early childhood development, infant mental health, and trauma-informed practice.
• Maintain extensive databases required to meet HS fidelity metrics including both internal and external referrals.
• Collaborate with HealthySteps team to complete annual site reporting to the National Office, which may include analysis of both external database files and EMR data reports.
• Document all patient clinical activity and care coordination in electronic medical records.
• Maintain open communication with medical staff and members of the care team.
• Work closely with pediatric providers around care coordination, goal setting, counseling, coaching and education about key aspects of a child’s development.

Minimum Qualifications
Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling, early childhood education, or related field preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of one year experience in a child care, social service, or community resource and development organization/environment preferred.
• Proficiency in Spanish preferred.
• Experience and knowledge about early childhood growth and development, parent-child relationships, child health infant mental health, and family systems.
• Flexibility in communication: able to switch between being on the floor playing with young patients to communicating with medical professionals regarding mental health interventions in a professional, coherent, and efficient manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and provide empathy in difficult interpersonal situations.