Behavioral Health Consultant OPS - 60932320

Behavioral Health Consultant Ops

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF or Department) is the state of Florida's social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking, and public assistance. The agency's mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) provides clinical expertise within the child welfare system, supporting the identification, engagement, and service resources of parents/caregivers with behavioral health needs—particularly those involving substance use disorders, with a concentrated focus on opioid misuse. The BHC works directly with Child Protective Investigators (CPIs) and dependency case managers to enhance recognition of behavioral health concerns, improve family engagement, and ensure timely access to appropriate treatment and support services.

Specific duties and responsibilities include: consulting and collaborating with CPI and dependency case managers to help frontline staff identify behavioral health disorders particularly substance use disorders, enhance family engagement, and improve access to appropriate treatment, recovery support, and community resources; providing both in-field and office-based consultation during the pre- and post-commencement phases of child protection investigations; community collaboration and care coordination; tracking and documenting all cases where the BHC provides support to child welfare staff; participating in legal proceedings, multidisciplinary meetings, and family navigation staffings; and offering subject-matter expertise in the identification and care of substance-exposed newborns.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position include: strong working knowledge of the child welfare system, with demonstrated expertise in motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care approaches; a minimum of three years of experience in the treatment of substance use disorders; a comprehensive understanding of how substance use, and mental health conditions affect parenting capacity and can compromise child safety; proficiency in the identification and care of substance-exposed newborns; the ability to respond effectively to emergency events, demonstrating sound clinical judgment under pressure; strong written communication skills; the ability to evaluate and identify barriers to treatment access and navigate complex behavioral health systems to support families effectively; excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills; strong organizational skills and the ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple assignments in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Minimum qualifications include: Florida license in the areas of psychology, social work, mental health counseling, family and marriage therapy or registered intern, or master's level Certified Addiction Professional; a minimum of three years of experience treating substance use disorders; working knowledge of the child welfare and behavioral health systems and knowledge related to the impact of behavioral health conditions on parenting capacity; knowledge/understanding of the impact of substance use disorders and mental health conditions on parenting ability and child safety; and a valid driver license.