Behavioral Health Consultant OPS - 60933472 1

Behavioral Health Consultant Ops

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) 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. Partner with behavioral health providers and the Managing Entity (ME) to maintain current knowledge of referral processes and treatment options, helping CPIs connect families to the most appropriate levels of care.
• Tracking and documenting all cases where the BHC provides support to child welfare staff, including staffings, joint visits, consultations, brief assessments, and any additional tracking as directed by the department, especially those impacted by substance use disorders.
• Participating in legal proceedings, multidisciplinary meetings, and family navigation staffings to support case progression and improve outcomes for children and families.
• Offering subject-matter expertise in the identification and care of substance-exposed newborns, including providing consultation on treatment options, supporting care coordination for mothers and infants, and ensuring access to early intervention and family stabilization services.
• May be called upon to perform duties beyond those outlined in this description to meet emergent organizational or regional needs.
• Work extended or irregular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and potentially operating from outside assigned duty location.
• Travel is required throughout the state and may include overnight stays. May also be called upon to assist with disaster recovery efforts and participate in Critical Incident Rapid Response Team (CIRRT) case investigations as needed throughout the state. Emphasis is placed on expertise in addressing opioid use disorders.

In response to emergency events, the incumbent may be required to work irregular hours, to work more than 8 hours per day, to work extended periods (including weekends and holidays), to work at locations other than their official headquarters, and to perform duties in addition to those outlined in the position description. Deploy to communities affected by natural disasters within 24-48 hours of impact to represent the organization to promote and implement post-disaster services.

• Assess the impact, needs and assist with the development of a response strategy and goals for the impacted community and implement disaster response plans.

• Coordinate psychological and mental health resources and services for individuals, first responders, and communities impacted by disasters.

• Provide critical information to the Regional Manager and Director of Regional Operations and Initiatives.

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 preferred.
• A minimum of three years of experience in the treatment of substance use disorders.
• Have 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 is essential.
• Respond effectively to emergency events, demonstrating sound clinical judgment under pressure.
• Strong written communication skills are critical, including the ability to produce clear, thorough, and professional reports and presentations.
• 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 are required, along with the ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal and external partners.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple assignments in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 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. Acceptable: LMHC, LCSW, LMFT, MCAP, Licensed Psychologist.
• 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.
• Valid Driver License

Preference will be given to applicants who have:

• Knowledge of the child welfare system and motivational interviewing is preferred.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• State Group Insurance coverage options (for OPS employees who are reasonably expected to work 30 hours or more per week on average), including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Savings & Spending Accounts;
• 401 (a) FICA Alternative Plan administered through VALIC
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.