Education Specialist

Weekly outpatient therapy isn't always enough, and a trip to the ER isn't the only answer. Patients and their families rely on Compass Health Center when in crisis – every day, we help people overcome depression, anxiety, suicidality, obsessions/compulsions, trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely.

About This Role 

As the largest provider of PHP/IOP programs and psychiatric services in Illinois, Compass Health Center is one of the fastest-growing behavioral health organizations in the country. We are thrilled to expand our exceptionally innovative and highly distinguished programs that redefine our industry and raise the standard for comprehensive care.     

Launching in early 2027, our location in Falls Church, Virginia, will be home to top local talent in behavioral health care. This interdisciplinary team of trailblazers will build our adolescent and adult programs from the ground up alongside the leadership of well-established clinicians and doctors working in PHP/IOP behavioral health care for the past decade.    

As an Education Specialist, you’ll work thoughtfully with our adolescent patients (age 12-18) to transition students from their schools to Compass, help them execute on their school IEPs and supervised learning plans, and help re-integrate patients back into their day-to-day lives after program. This role will consist of partnering closely with the entirety of our treatment teams, including Group Therapists, Family Therapists, and Prescribers to ensure comprehensive and compassionate care. We are seeking an experienced Education Specialist who is passionate about working with children and adolescents who have a range of diagnosis in mood and anxiety disorders.  

Please note that this role is set to start in mid January and will consist of 5 weeks of training prior to launching for patients, and will be 100% onsite at our Falls Church location.

What You’ll Do:

• Work closely with team members to support the educational needs of patients
• Lead communication efforts with patients’ home schools 
• Oversee the obtaining and sharing of school assignments with the patients’ home schools 
• Complete educational assessments with patients to determine academic needs 
• Create academic plans with patients
• Provide support to parents/guardians as it pertains to the patient’s educational needs and provide them with educational updates 
• Assist patients with executive functioning skills, as needed
• Lead supervised study, executive functioning skills groups and other academic groups, as needed
• Proctor school assessments
• Chart communication with parents, schools, and patients 
• Attend rounds daily or as recommended
• Participate in family sessions when appropriate  
• Provide insurance utilization team with educational updates 
• In partnership with primary therapists, oversee the school staffing process including prepping the patient as well as coordinating, facilitating, and participating in school staffings and other school meetings  
• Prepare proper documentation for school throughout the patient stay 
• Provide the team with updates including the transition plan and school staffing 
• When needed, support outreach efforts to schools
• Focus on building relationships with schools which may include coordinating, planning and co-leading school presentations

Who You Are:

• Degree in the field of education (Master's Preferred)
• Virginia active teaching license (required)
• Special Education certification (Secondary preferred)
• Experience working in a school setting with students who have emotional disabilities 
• Knowledge of school systems and special education processes 
• Experience with classroom management 
• Experience with students and families in crisis 
• Excellent time management skills 
• Ability to juggle multiple demands simultaneously in a fast paced and changing environment 

We know job descriptions can be intimidating, so if this sounds like an opportunity for you, please don't hesitate to apply! 

Who We Are 

Compass Health Center is a recognized leader in crisis-level mental health, bringing passion, connection, and patient-centered care to the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient space (PHP/IOP). Based in Chicagoland, we serve hundreds of patients every day, ranging from ages 5 through adulthood, in our onsite facilities or through our flourishing virtual programming. Compass fills a critical gap between outpatient and inpatient care through an intermediate level of Behavioral Healthcare.  

A few more things we want you to know: our values are super important to us, and hopefully will be to you, too. Cultural humility, teamwork, continuous improvement, connection, patient centered care, passion, innovation, and agility should be your power sources. Joining Compass is an opportunity to feel fulfilled through a joint mission towards healing our communities. 

Benefits & Perks 

We know that you will be dedicated to your purpose here. We look at that investment as a two-way street. We are proud to offer plenty of space for growth, and opportunities to pursue continuous development within our organization. 

For eligible positions, our other benefits include: comprehensive medical/dental/vision plans, 401k program with company matching, generous PTO (including competitive parental leave after 1 year of employment), and continuous training through CEU seminars and volunteering opportunities.  

What’s Next? 

Compass is committed to cultivating diverse and dynamic teams who exude passion for their craft, so whether or not you check all the boxes, we encourage you to apply – we’d be grateful to hear from you!