New Director for the National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health

The Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (DC UCEDD), a division of Georgetown University’s Department of Pediatrics, was established over four decades ago to improve the quality of life for all children and youth, especially those with special needs and their families. The GUCCHD is founded on an interdisciplinary approach to service, training, research, community outreach, technical assistance, and public policy. Since 1984, the National Technical Assistance (TA) Center for Children’s Mental Health, an integral part of the GUCCHD, has been dedicated to helping states, tribes, territories, and communities transform their service systems through innovative and collaborative solutions to improve the social, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing of children, adolescents and their families. The TA Center has played a national leadership role in the development and implementation of technical assistance and training strategies to promote and sustain community-based systems of care and service system reforms.

The TA Center is funded and supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as well as other Federal agencies and foundations. The Director of the TA Center holds a faculty position within the Georgetown University Medical Center and will work at the Center’s office in Washington, DC.

The Director of the National Technical Assistance Center provides vision and direction for the Center and its national leadership role in the field of child and adolescent mental health. The Director has overall responsibility for the Center’s initiatives, operations, and quality assurance. The Director leads and supports a team of faculty, staff, and national consultants that has extensive experience in all aspects of policy and service delivery related to child and adolescent mental health. The Director plans, develops, and implements Center activities, procedures, and systems to facilitate overall coordination and functioning. The Director undertakes projects related to the mission of the TA Center. The Director also serves as a liaison and resource to Federal and state agencies, Congress, national organizations and coalitions, advocacy groups, and multiple other constituencies concerned with the wellbeing of children and their families.

Minimum qualifications for the Director’s position:

• a terminal graduate degree in candidate’s professional field;
• ten years experience in planning and building service systems, administration, policy analysis, and strategic thinking;
• extensive knowledge of children’s mental health and related service systems;
• commitment to system of care values that support family-driven and youth-guided care, cultural and linguistic competence, and community-based service delivery;
• demonstrated ability

• to implement a vision within a changing environment,
• to be entrepreneurial and obtain funding to support program initiatives,
• to provide leadership and work collaboratively,
• to lead, support, and supervise a team,
• to build partnerships at the national, state, and/or local levels;

• excellent writing and speaking skills; and
• demonstrated commitment to improve the lives of children and families.