BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT

Posting Details Requisition No: 879504 Agency: Children and Families Working Title: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT - 60009858 Position Number: 60009858 Salary: $60,000 - $70,000 Annually Posting Closing Date: 07/19/2026 Agency Overview 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. 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. 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 Northeast 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. Position Summary This highly responsible and professional position serves as a Behavioral Health Consultant within Regional Operations. The ideal candidate is a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office and demonstrates independent judgment, proactive responsibility, and exceptional attention to detail. Responsibilities Actively establish relationships with CPIs in co‑located office space; educate CPIs and dependency case managers on the identification of behavioral health disorders with an emphasis on opioid use. Assist investigative staff and dependency case managers in understanding signs and symptoms of opioid disorders and best practices to engage and treat. Educate CPIs and dependency case managers on the use of MAT; provide field and office consultation during investigations with a suspected or identified behavioral health need; demonstrate engagement techniques with the family. Partner with investigative staff to assist in identifying danger threats, adult functioning, parental protective capacities, and safety management services. Maintain working knowledge of community mental health and substance use providers. Collaborate with community service providers and the ME to develop contacts, facilitate referrals, and assist investigative staff with engaging clients in recommended services. Track referrals and entry into treatment for parents with behavioral health disorders, especially with substance misuse disorders. Support investigators in mitigating behavioral issues and crises. Participate in legal, multidisciplinary, and any other meetings that assist the investigative staff and families. Perform other duties as required to meet program and departmental goals and objectives. Emergency Response May be required to work irregular hours, more than 8 hours per day, extended periods, weekends, holidays, and travel. Deploy to communities affected by natural disasters within 24‑48 hours to represent the organization and implement post‑disaster services. Assess impact, needs, and develop a response strategy and goals for the impacted community and implement disaster response plans. Coordinate psychological and mental health resources for individuals, first responders, and communities impacted by disasters. Provide critical information to the Regional Manager and Director of Regional Operations and Initiatives. Ideal Candidate Engage cooperatively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders. Manage multiple high‑priority projects simultaneously with agility and precision. Demonstrate flexibility and the ability to succeed independently and with minimal direction. Understand and align with the vision of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program. Collaborate effectively within a team while excelling independently. Analyze challenges and propose thoughtful, practical solutions to complex problems. Conduct thorough research to recommend the most strategic and effective course of action. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of data collection and analysis methods. Knowledge of basic management principles and practices. Ability to collect, evaluate, and analyze data to develop recommendations. Ability to organize data into logical format for reports and documents. Ability to conduct fact‑finding research. Ability to utilize problem‑solving techniques. Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments. Ability to communicate effectively. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships. Knowledge of the impact of substance use disorders and mental health conditions on parenting 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 to emergency events with sound clinical judgment. Ability to evaluate barriers to treatment access and navigate complex behavioral health systems. Ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple assignments in a dynamic environment. Ability to communicate verbally, demonstrate interpersonal skills, and maintain collaborative relationships. Minimum Qualifications 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. Preference Florida license in psychology, social work, mental health counseling, marriage, and family therapy, or a registered intern. Experience in the child welfare and behavioral health systems and knowledge of the impact of behavioral health conditions on parenting capacity. Experience in substance abuse prevention, treatment, or recovery support services. Experience coordinating community‑based services for individuals or families. Certification as a Master’s‑Level Addiction Professional. Experience with motivational interviewing. Benefits Competitive total compensation package with benefits. For a complete list of benefits, visit Employment Disclosures Only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired. All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, must be registered with the Selective Service System; verification will be required before hire. Retirees of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) must check with FRS regarding benefits. Applicants will be required to complete background screening: State and national criminal history checks and fingerprinting. The State of Florida supports a drug‑free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing. Veterans’ Preference Eligible candidates earn preference for Career Service vacancies. Documentation requirements (DD Form 214, etc.) must be attached with each submission. #J-18808-Ljbffr