Mental Health Specialist(Bilingual/Portuguese)

About the Role

This position operates within the Early Intervention (EI) division, serving children from birth to three years of age who have developmental delays or disabilities in the Everett, Malden, and Medford area. The specialist will be an integral member of a multidisciplinary team, delivering community-based therapeutic interventions directly in natural environments. The core approach involves a coaching model with parents and caregivers, ensuring that support strategies are seamlessly integrated into daily family routines and cultural contexts. Your work will foster resilience, empowerment, and a sense of belonging for both the children you serve and their families. You will act as a vital liaison, bridging clinical expertise with family priorities to create meaningful and sustainable developmental progress. Success in this role requires a deep commitment to collaborative problem-solving and the ability to translate complex developmental information into actionable, family-friendly guidance. Your contributions will directly impact the foundational developmental trajectory of young children during their most critical years of growth and learning.

Key Facts

What you'll do

• Conduct comprehensive intake procedures to gather detailed child and family information necessary for early intervention access and service planning.
• Develop and deliver individualized treatment plans within Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) frameworks in active collaboration with families and multidisciplinary partners.
• Design and implement evidence-based intervention strategies that are tailored to the unique cultural and linguistic needs of Portuguese and English-speaking families.
• Synthesize and communicate home visit insights and recommendations clearly to families, therapists, and other community contacts to ensure cohesive support.
• Perform ongoing reviews of child progress using standardized developmental tools to adjust goals and intervention strategies effectively and responsively.
• Partner actively with medical providers and community agencies to align available resources and build robust, comprehensive support networks for families.
• Maintain thorough, timely, and accurate documentation, including assessments, IFSPs, progress notes, and insurance reports, ensuring full compliance with all DPH and agency standards.
• Utilize a coaching model to empower parents and caregivers, equipping them with practical strategies to support their child's development within everyday activities.
• Contribute to the organization's knowledge base by delivering in-service training to share clinical expertise and evidence-based best practices with colleagues.
• Demonstrate cultural humility and responsiveness when engaging with diverse communities, ensuring that family perspectives drive the intervention process.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery, making data-informed decisions to continuously improve outcomes for children and families.
• Facilitate smooth transitions for children and families moving between service phases or into school-based systems of support.

Requirements

• Hold a Master's degree in Psychology or a related field as evidence of foundational knowledge and professional readiness.
• Demonstrate documented experience working with young children in intervention or similar early childhood settings.
• Possess a valid Massachusetts driver's license for local travel and community-based home visits.
• Achieve bilingual proficiency in Portuguese and English, a required qualification for effective communication and service delivery.
• Meet the eligibility criteria set forth by the state and agency for employment in sensitive child-serving roles.
• Maintain professional licensure or eligibility for licensure in relevant behavioral health disciplines as required by practice standards.
• Pass all necessary background checks, including criminal history, to ensure the safety and well-being of children and families.
• Commit to adhering to strict confidentiality and ethical guidelines governing the handling of sensitive family and client information.
• Be capable of working independently and as part of a collaborative team in a dynamic, community-based environment.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to the mission of early intervention and the principles of family-centered care and inclusion.

Nice to have

• Experience delivering in-service training on clinical topics to colleagues.
• Familiarity with evidence-based practices specific to early childhood development.

Practical notes

The role is based in Malden and is scheduled Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The compensation for this position is $58,300 USD annually. Eliot is an equal opportunity employer committed to supporting you at every stage of your career, providing opportunities for purpose, growth, and community. To ensure you are fully informed, please confirm all details on the official application page before proceeding. Apply today to make a meaningful difference in the life of a child and family.