Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Posting Date

Application Deadline

Pay Range

Job Type

Department

About the Position

Are you passionate about strengthening families with young children? Do you excel at building collaborative relationships? Are you a licensed mental health counselor in Arizona? If so, consider joining the Maricopa County Human Services team as a Mental Health Consultant.

In this role, you will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to foster positive relationships among children (birth to age five), their families, and the community. You will promote awareness and understanding of mental wellness by providing social-emotional support, positive behavior strategies, prevention resources, and referrals for mental health services to families enrolled in the Maricopa County Head Start Zero-Five Program.

If you are ready to make a meaningful impact on the mental well-being of young children and their families, apply today!

About Us

The Maricopa County Human Services Department (HSD) builds resiliency in the community and promotes the well-being of County residents experiencing adversity through a variety of programs and services to help people and families thrive. These opportunities include early childhood education, housing, homeownership, independent living services for seniors and adults with disabilities, career development for job seekers with barriers to employment, crisis rental and utility assistance, and support for people experiencing homelessness. HSD is committed to delivering innovative and comprehensive services in a collaborative approach that preserves dignity, promotes respect, and facilitates social and economic mobility.

In 2025, the Human Services Department was the proud recipient of 23 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo), highlighting the Department's commitment to providing support for low-income and at-risk communities. Maricopa County Human Services was honored for a wide variety of programs showcasing their valuable work, including Regional Solutions to Homelessness in Rural and Underserved Communities, Pathway to Rapid Reemployment, Tonopah Fire Station Improvements, Refugee Relocation Assistance Program, Early Education Division's EVIT Expanded Partnership, and several other initiatives.

Join our team and unlock your potential!

The Early Education Division is federally funded to administer center-based Head Start and Early Head Start early care and education, along with community resources and referrals to support economically disadvantaged children to be ready for school and families to achieve self-sufficiency. Currently, classrooms are operated through a mixed service delivery model of full-year, part-year, community and school-based sites; operated directly by Maricopa County and through contracted Child Care Partnerships.

Proud to Offer

• Work with a greater purpose

• Tuition reimbursement

• Exceptional work-life balance, with hybrid work schedule options

• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County

• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents

• Child care benefits, including access to our on-site center Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families

• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave

• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive

• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring a 12% monthly contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

• Want to learn more about the County's Qualifying and Compensation Philosophy? Follow this link to learn more! Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require

• Two years of experience working with families to promote positive social/emotional development in young children

• Master's degree in counseling, marital and family counseling, social work, psychology, or a closely related field

• A valid, unrestricted license issued by the Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners as a

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), OR

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), OR

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Other Requirements

• Successful candidates must currently possess, or have the ability to obtain, a valid ArizonaDriver'slicenseby the time of hire

• Must secure a Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card through the Arizona Department of Public Safety

• Must complete a medical exam that includes screening for tuberculosis (TB)

We Also Value

• Experience working with monolingual Spanish families and children

• Experience and/or knowledge of Trauma Informed Care and at-risk families

• Experience navigating and supporting challenging behaviors

• Infant Mental Health Endorsement (IMH-E)

• Knowledge of clinical documentation

• Post-master's experience involving work with young children and infant-child mental health, including working in a classroom setting or consulting with teachers and families

• Experience with special education procedures and the special needs of young children with disabilities and their families

Job Contributions

• Assesses and assists program staff in implementing program practices that support children's social/emotional development, including preventative action plans

• Prepares and facilitates training for staff and parents on positive discipline, social/emotional development, and successful techniques for eliminating challenging behaviors

• Provides on-site training and technical assistance to instructional staff and parents related to understanding social/emotional development, handling challenging behavior, using positive discipline, and identifying children with social/emotional development concerns

• Conducts classroom visits/observations and provides mental health, modeling, feedback, and plan of action for staff and parents based on observations

• Coordinates services with the Inclusion Coordinator, Program Assurance Supervisors, Family Support Specialists, instructional staff, and community behavioral health agencies

• Evaluates mental health data and information to identify trends that affect current and future child/family outcomes monthly

• Develops corrective action plans from trend evaluation and leads efforts to modify that will meet programmatic requirements

• Monitors outcomes and performs data entry of mental health information to ensure that mental health performance standards are met for all enrolled children

• Provides appropriate professional mental health referrals and resources for both children and parents, as needed, based on behavioral observations, assessments, or family's needs

• Leads the Wellness group initiatives and related responsibilities for the Human Services Department

Working Conditions

• Work is routinely performed in an office environment, which may require long periods of sitting, reading, and typing

• Requires travel to program sites throughout Maricopa County

• The position requires travel to and from various county, client, and contractor locations during a scheduled workday, subject to County policies regarding the use of County vehicles and/or private vehicles used on County business

• Hybrid schedule options are available after training, based on business needs

Selection Procedure

• Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications

• Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile

• Must pass a pre-employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process or to perform the essential functions of the position under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact MHRFeedback@maricopa.gov to initiate the interactive process.

Apply Now!