Program Therapist

The Center for Development and Disability (CDD), established in 1990, is New Mexico's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service. These centers, authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, build the capacities of states and communities to respond to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

The UNM Center for Development and Disability is seeking two Program Specialists who can provide Part C Early Intervention services, including service coordination and developmental intervention, for infants, toddlers, and their families. These positions are available to start in July 2025.

The FOCUS program is an early intervention program that provides families with early intervention services and collaborates with UNM Family and Community medical clinics to provide access to comprehensive family medical care. Most of the families served by the program are considered at risk due to medical, social, and/or environmental difficulties, including but not limited to parental substance use, mental health difficulties, and poverty. All services are provided from a family-centered, relationship-based, comprehensive support service philosophy. Services are provided primarily in family homes or in community settings near the family's home. As noted, services are also provided as part of child and family medical clinics. The majority of referrals to FOCUS are newborn infants with prenatal substance exposure and/or medical difficulties at birth. The selected candidate must travel within a three-county catchment area and perform home visits.

The position requires flexibility, teamwork, and the following skills:

• The ability to engage and partner with families who may mistrust systems and agencies due to previous experiences;
• An ability to partner with families using a trauma-informed, non-judgmental and compassionate approach;
• Solid knowledge of early child development and in working with parents and children birth to three, including infants;
• Experience with developmental assessments of infants and toddlers;
• Capacity for effective collaboration with community partners;
• Knowledge of community resources, including resources for meeting basic needs, housing, behavioral health counseling, and other needs presented by families;
• Knowledge of state and federal reporting requirements;
• Strong organizational skills and capacity to meet program documentation and billing requirements.

Explore exciting career opportunities at CDD by visiting our Career Opportunities page https://cdd.health.unm.edu/jobs/

See the Position Description for additional information.

• Must pass a pre-employment criminal background check.
• Successful candidate must submit to post-offer, pre-employment physical examination and medical history check.

Bachelor's degree; no previous experience required.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

**Be sure to address our preferred qualifications listed below in your cover letter**

Demonstrated experience providing services to infants and toddlers ages birth to three years and their families with demonstrated knowledge of child development, particularly with children ages birth to three years.

Demonstrated experience providing service coordination/case management within an IDEA Part C early intervention program or similar program serving young children and their families.

Demonstrated skill and experience providing developmental assessment, treatment/intervention planning/monitoring, and linking families to community resources.

Experience providing case management in the area of substance use and/or behavioral/mental health.

Home visiting experience.

Bilingual in English and Spanish including medical terminology.

Only applications submitted through
the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job
advertisement on a 3rd party site, please
visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.