Senior Lead, Youth Mental Health Advocate

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY. Primary Location: CUNY SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Bargaining Unit: No PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Academy for Community Behavioral Health equips NYC non-profit care providers to proactively and compassionately address behavioral health. CUNY SPS launched the Academy in Spring 2021 with support from the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) and Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH). We prioritize capacity building with NYC communities most impacted by health and socioeconomic inequities, including those most impacted by COVID-19. Academy services include: 1. free learning programs for NYC non-profit social service and behavioral health providers; 2. pilot programs that use participatory methods to advance community-centered care models and expand knowledge about what works; and more. In 2023, the Academy launched a Youth Mental Health Advocate (YMHA) pilot program as part of Working the Gap, an initiative of CUNY SPS Youth Studies that provides young people ages 18-24 who are not enrolled in college with applied skills training, part-time work experience, college credits, and support to take a next step in their education or career. YMHA provides a path to helping professions for young people who do not yet have college degrees but do have a desire to make a difference in youth mental health, along with a meaningful connection to a youth-serving organization and relevant shared experiences. Youth Advocates receive over 100 hours of training and coaching from the Academy. They work part-time in a community-based organization (CBO) where they apply skills to: care for their own mental health, model and share self-care tools, provide 1:1 mental health support and referrals to other youth, and develop and facilitate groups. They also use participatory action research skills to carry out a community project that can improve youth mental health or services at the CBO.  YMHA Senior Lead     The YMHA Senior Lead will play a key leadership role in the design and implementation of the Youth Mental Health Advocate program in pilot years 3-4. Reporting to the Academy Director and joining a multidisciplinary YMHA team, the Senior Lead will guide YMHA curriculum development and delivery, including by managing the work of supporting instructors, and provide implementation support to host organizations. Based on relevant expertise, the Senior Lead may also oversee the coordination and delivery of specialized supports for YMHAs. Candidates will have significant subject matter expertise and experience in related areas, such as: Youth mental health and development Instructional design, with prior experience managing collaborative processes to map, create, test, and refine a related curriculum   Mental health capacity building in community settings Care coordination for young people ages 18-24 This is a near full-time hybrid role with some scheduling flexibility. It will involve significant in-person work , including in-person training, site visits, and program meetings. Starting in Fall 2026, the Senior Lead will work between 39-68 hours every two weeks , with some project phases requiring more work than others: Sep-Dec 2026 : Curriculum and program development. Expected to involve hybrid remote/in-person work. Jan-Feb 2027 : In-person orientation and training for Youth Mental Health Advocates (YMHAs) and host community-based organizations (CBOs). Expected to require 25-30 hours/week of in-person work.  Mar-Jun 2027 : Ongoing training, coaching, and implementation support to YMHAs and CBOs; ongoing program management activities. Expect hybrid remote/in-person work. Position Duties and Responsibilities: A. Curriculum Development The YMHA curriculum includes: 1. General preparation for work in a professional helping role, 2. Skills and supports for YMHAs to care for their own mental health, and 3. Skills YMHAs use to support youth mental health among “near peers” ages 10-18. Visit the YMHA program description for additional details. Lead YMHA curriculum improvements: update curriculum goals, content, teaching methods, and assessment tools to improve the YMHA learner experience and outcomes.   Consult with the YMHA team to confirm curriculum goals and priorities. In consultation with the Director, manage a collaborative process to achieve curriculum goals and priorities, including by: incorporating lessons from pilot implementation; inviting and integrating expertise from other instructors, subject matter experts, and program stakeholders; creating and reviewing content; and, applying relevant evidence. Ensure that the curriculum meets Academy values and standards. These include, but are not limited to:  A dual focus on the well-being and skillfulness of helpers.  Competency-based learning. We aim to help learners develop and apply relevant skills in real-world settings. Progressive, experiential learning paths with meaningful opportunities for skill practice, skill application, reflection, and supportive and accurate feedback.  Participatory design and ongoing quality improvement. Ensure that the curriculum meets CUNY SPS criteria to award credit for prior learning . Prepare materials required for CUNY SPS review.    Implement strengths-based learning assessment practices. Oversee the collection and maintenance of key data, including but not limited to attendance and learning assessment. Lead the development of a CBO curriculum that equips CBOs to effectively host and support YMHAs, integrating relevant subject m