Educational Specialist - Texas Behavioral Health Center

About the role

Texas Behavioral Health Center is a newly completed state‑funded psychiatric hospital in Dallas’ Southwestern Medical District, owned by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and operated by UT Southwestern Medical Center. The 505,000‑square‑foot facility will house 292 beds (200 adult, 92 child/adolescent) and deliver state‑of‑the‑art, patient‑centered behavioral health care in a modern healing environment. As an employee of UT Southwestern, you will join a world‑class academic medical center committed to patient‑centered care, innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and preparing patients for successful reintegration into families and communities. The Education Specialist consults with families, school districts and UT Southwestern staff to determine the patient's school needs (cognitive, social/emotional and behavior) and creates a school plan for hospitalization and school reintegration, as well as acting as a resource to the community and staff. The Educational Specialist applies advanced problem‑solving skills in the educational planning of students with complex medical and behavioral needs, while adhering to the regulations of all applicable state and federal laws, as well as the Joint Commission.

Responsibilities

• Maintains patient transition plans and care plans for all inpatient and day treatment psychiatry patients
• Creates transition plans for patients in grades K‑12
• Organizes and manages patient caseload to provide timely information to the patient's school and medical teams
• Implements and supports patient's treatment/medical goals in the community school setting
• Coordinates enrollment in Dallas hospital school program when appropriate
• Determines and recommends appropriate academic and behavioral accommodations in the school setting
• Coordinates school transitions with the family, medical team and community school
• Interprets individualized education plans (IEP) or 504 plans
• Interprets complex educational and medical testing, such as neuropsychological evaluations
• Has in‑depth knowledge of special education law, as well as the Annual Review and Dismissal (ARD) process; has in‑depth knowledge of Section 504 and how it is implemented in the school setting
• Knows of and applies educational resources in the psychiatric classroom setting and makes recommendations on using these resources in the patient's community school
• Performs duties as assigned

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's Degree.

Experience: 4–5 years of related experience, with at least 3 years working in the special education setting.

Licenses and Certifications: State of Texas Board of Educators Teaching Certification in Special Education.

Preferred: Graduate or professional work or advanced degree; or equivalent experience.

Benefits

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare—no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer

Schedule

Full-time, Day shift.