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Making the Contract or Job Description a Living Document

Once you have written a job description or contract, it is important to review these documents periodically and adjust as your program’s needs change. Contracts can be cumbersome and difficult to change, unless you write them in a way that allows some flexibility and periodic review. Include language that describes how the program will review consultation services and modify the types and frequency of various activities. As a living document, the contract or job description should be flexible enough to allow for changes.

If the Head Start program’s vision of mental health services changes over time, the contract or job description should also reflect those changes. Specify time points for reviewing the contract and making adjustments based on ongoing program needs assessment and implementation of the MHC services. A good time to do this is at an annual performance or contract review with the consultant. Administrators should consider having a policy requiring annual input from families, staff, and the mental health consultant at the end of the school year that includes reflection on any needed or desired adjustments in consultation services.

Activity: Exploring Your Program’s Priorities and Values

Because no one can ever find the “perfect” consultant, think carefully about the most important characteristics, qualifications, or skills for your consultant. Also consider how you might build competencies in these areas if you find someone who is highly qualified but lacks certain characteristics.

You might want to use this exercise with a hiring committee, or your mental health-specific strategic planning team as a way to come to consensus about what is most important before reviewing applications or interviewing candidates. Ask them these questions:

  • Thinking about your program’s individual needs, culture, strengths, and challenges, what are the three to five most important characteristics for an effective mental health consultant?
  • How could you support or develop this area in a consultant that you hired in your program?

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,  Mental Health