HealthySteps Specialist (LCSW)

***Please note that the role requires an LCSW license in NY

Who We Are

Strong Children Wellness operates a dynamic network of primary care practices seamlessly integrated into community-based organizations that focus on children and families. Our trailblazing healthcare approach holistically addresses medical, behavioral, and social needs under one roof. Pioneering a 'reverse integration' model, we offer families a tailor-made, multidisciplinary care team dedicated to comprehensive care, encompassing physical health, developmental milestones, mental wellness, and social wellbeing. Discover more about our innovative healthcare solutions at www.strongchildrenwellness.com 

As an organization, we prioritize building teams that reflect the diversity of patients we serve and creating a work environment that emphasizes personal wellness, professional development, and team building. 

About HealthySteps 

The HealthySteps Specialist role supports HealthySteps, a ZERO TO THREE program, which promotes early childhood development through holistic, nurturing caregiving. By collaborating with Strong Children Wellness’s pediatric primary care providers, together, we help families advance their children’s healthy development, resulting in lasting well-being through social emotional development, language, literacy, and cognition skills—as well as perceptual, motor and physical development. Discover more at healthysteps.org. 

Requirements

What You’ll Do

As our HealthySteps Specialist, you’ll champion HealthySteps to families and providers, and conduct team-based well-child visits focusing on development, social-emotional functioning, and relational health. This includes short-term consultations for developmental and behavioral concerns, maintaining a family support line, and responding promptly to calls. You’ll also participate in reflective supervision meetings, accompany families to primary care appointments, and facilitate parent/caregiver groups.

Preventive and Responsive Care

• Promotes HealthySteps within the practice to families and providers
• Conducts team-based well-child visits before, during, or following the primary care provider—visits focus on monitoring development, social-emotional functioning, and relational health, and providing anticipatory guidance
• Conducts consultations on a short-term basis for needs regarding development and/or behavioral concerns such as sleep, positive parenting, picky eating, etc.
• Maintains a family support line and responds to and tracks call requests within the designated response time
• Participates in reflective supervision meetings
• May conduct home visits and may accompany family to key medical, specialty, and community agency appointments as needed
• May facilitate parent/caregiver groups
  

Referrals and Community Collaborations

• Creates and maintains community resource directory/database 
• Provides Referrals and track follow-up, as appropriate, to help families make successful connections to key resources within the community
• Reaches out to community providers within the first 6 months in position to share about HealthySteps, their role, and receive information to support referrals, warm handoffs, and ensure appropriate referral criteria is met
• Participates (when appropriate) in community-wide early childhood and/or mental health meetings

Team-Based Care

• Is an active member of the HS Implementation Team and attends regular team meetings
• Works with the front office administrative staff to ensure scheduling of the HS Specialist’s time in coordination with provider visits (i.e., well-child visits)
• Engages in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives to ensure the HealthySteps model is delivered with fidelity
• Collaborates with HealthySteps implementation team to implement all eight Core Components including universal screenings, making positive parenting and early learning guidance information available, and adjusting workflows for optimal efficiency
• Maintains open communication with all members of the primary care team
• Works closely with pediatric primary providers around care coordination, goal setting, coaching, and education about key aspects of a child’s development
• Provides consultation and/or facilitates training to medical professionals and all practice staff re: early childhood development, early relational health/infant early childhood mental health, and trauma-informed practice
  

Caseload Tracking, Record Keeping, and Reporting

• Maintains extensive databases required to meet HealthySteps fidelity metrics including both internal and external referrals
• Collaborates with HealthySteps Implementation Team to complete required annual site reporting to the HealthySteps National Office at ZERO TO THREE, which may include analysis of both external database files and EHR data reports
• Documents all patient clinical activity and care coordination in EHR
• Tracks caseload to ensure capacity to deliver the HS services within the risk stratified service delivery model. This includes ensuring exit criteria is met and that families and children are elevated to higher levels of care or referred to community providers if needed
  

Professional Development Activities

• Participates in HealthySteps training (Virtual HealthySteps Institute), annual model refresher course, and other model trainings as needed
• Participates in administrative and clinical/reflective supervision meetings
• Completes HealthySteps Competency Based Professional Development Assessment and develops and implements a professional development plan that is updated annually

What You’ll Have

• Ability work hybrid—9am - 5pm Mon/Tue remote from home; Wed - Fri in Jamaica, Queens  
• Current licensure as an LCSW or similar, with a degree in psychology, social work, counseling, early childhood education, or a related field
• Knowledge of early childhood development, parent-child relational health, infant and early childhood mental health, and family systems
• Builder mentality: You have a passion for building social impact programs from the ground up
• Excellent empathetic verbal and written communication 
• Strong motivational interviewing (MI) skills with patients
• Ability to work effectively with diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Proactive and curious, you’re skilled in both collaboration and working autonomously 
• Demonstrated proficiency in data collection + entry for program management and evaluation
• A bias for technology, you’re comfortable learning/using software

Benefits

Why Choose Us

• Empowerment and Impact: We value your input and autonomy to be able to make meaningful contributions
• Inclusive Culture: Work in an environment that celebrates diversity and is dedicated to your wellbeing (it’s in our name!) 
• Holistic Total Rewards: This role offers a salary range of $77,000 - $80,000. We also provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) + match, as well as generous paid time off 

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