Behavioral Health Consultant Ops

Requisition No:864196

Agency:
Children and Families

Working Title:

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT OPS -

Date:
Oct 28, 2025

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.

Responses to the qualifying questions are required and must be verifiable based on your submitted application.

This is not a telework position. Candidates will be required to work in the office.

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.

• Consult and collaborate 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. The BHC actively builds relationships with investigative staff within co‑located offices, providing regular education on behavioral health indicators, the effects of behavioral health conditions on parenting behavior, and engagement strategies.
  
  The BHC plays a key role in educating and training investigative staff and case managers on the use and benefits of Medication‑Assisted Treatment (MAT).
• Provides both in‑field and office‑based consultation during the pre‑ and post‑commencement phases of child protection investigations. This includes participating in joint visits with CPIs, modeling effective family engagement techniques, and offering guidance on best practices for working with families affected by behavioral health issues, particularly opioid misuse. In addition, the BHC assists CPIs in understanding how a parent’s behavioral health condition may impact their ability to safely and effectively care for their child, while identifying and recommending appropriate treatment and referral resources within the community to support the family’s specific needs.
• 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.
• Track and document 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.
• Participate in legal proceedings, multidisciplinary meetings, and family navigation staffings 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…