BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT (CAPTA) OPS - 60933444

State of Florida • Tampa, FL

1d • $29 - $34 • Onsite

About The Position

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.
Within SAMH, the SunCoast Regional Office staff ensure that individuals and families have timely access to prevention, treatment, and recovery support services across the region. They collaborate with local providers, community partners, and key stakeholders to identify service gaps, enhance resource availability, and promote continuity of care. The SunCoast Regional Office monitors program performance addresses barriers to service delivery and fosters cross-system collaboration to strengthen the regional behavioral health network and improve overall outcomes for the communities served.
THIS IS NOT A TELEWORK POSITION.  CANDIDATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK IN THE SUNCOAST REGIONAL OFFICE. 
This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as the Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) OPS. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office. This role requires the use of independent judgment, a proactive approach to responsibilities, and exceptional attention to detail. If you are driven, organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in a health or human services-related field.
• Three years of experience treating substance use disorders.
• Valid Class E Driver License.
• Knowledge of the methods of data collection and analysis.
• Knowledge of basic management principles and practices.
• Ability to collect, evaluate and analyze data to develop alternative recommendations, solve problems, document workflow and other activities relating to the improvement of operational and management practices.
• Ability to organize data into logical format for presentation in reports, documents and other written materials.
• Ability to conduct fact-finding research.
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to operational and management analysis activities.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Knowledge of the impact of substance use disorders and mental health conditions on parenting ability and child safety.
• Knowledge of the child welfare system, with demonstrated expertise in motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care approaches.
• Knowledge and experience in the identification and care of substance-exposed newborns
• Ability to respond effectively to emergency events, demonstrating sound clinical judgment under pressure.
• Ability to evaluate and identify barriers to treatment access and navigate complex behavioral health systems to support families effectively.
• Ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple assignments in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally, demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, and establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal and external partners.

Nice To Haves

• Florida license in psychology, social work, mental health counseling, marriage, and family therapy, or a registered intern.
• Experience of the child welfare and behavioral health systems and knowledge related to the impact of behavioral health conditions on parenting capacity.
• Experience in substance abuse prevention, treatment, or recovery support service.
• Experience coordinating community-based services for individuals or families.
• Certification as a Master’s-Level Addiction Professional.
• Experience with motivational interviewing.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Consult 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.
• Provides both in-field and office-based consultation during the pre- and post-commencement phases of child protection investigations.
• 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 provide support to child welfare staff, including staffing’s, joint visits, consultations, brief assessments, and any additional tracking as directed by the department, especially those impacted by substance use disorders.
• Participate in legal proceedings, multidisciplinary meetings, and family navigation staffing to support case progression and improve outcomes for children and families.
• Offer 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.
• Other duties as assigned.
• 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.

Benefits

• Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level