PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR-DCF - 60037988

Requisition No: 821324 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR-DCF - 60037988

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60037988 

Salary:  $3,423.28 Bi-weekly 

Posting Closing Date: 01/31/2024 

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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 and administration of all publicly funded substance abuse and mental health services, designating Baker Act Receiving facilities, and licensing substance abuse providers. 

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

THIS IS NOT A TELEWORK POSITION. CANDIDATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK IN THE TALLAHASSEE OFFICE.

This is a highly responsible and professional position that will serve as the Psychological Services Director within the SAMH program office. This position will collaborate with each section within the program office and be required to use independent judgement, take initiative in carrying out duties and responsibilities and should be extraordinarily detail oriented. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Develop program policies and procedures for providing PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES.
• Review  adult forensic facility admission packets while on duty and document diagnoses, signs, symptoms, and reported medical conditions.  Determine the appropriateness for commitment, and when indicated, contact DCF legal counsel for revew and response.
• Coordinate the Juvenile Incompetent to Proceed Program by reviewing all commitment packets, determining appropriateness of commitment, and referring cases to the contracted providers.  Maintain witing lists. Initiate contact with DCF legal counsel when indicated, and juvenile court officials as needed.  Work with the DCF Contract Manager to ensure compliance.  Review performance data and respond accordingly based on status of the information.  Testify at legal hearings. Participates in quality reviews for Twin Oaks, as requested.
• Provides coordination, establishment, and revisions of Children and Families Operating Procedures for the Mental Health Treatment Facilities which includes:
  • Quality review of high profile court reports related to homicides, sex offenses, and arson
  • Reviews, applied expert knowledge and determies priority reviews necessary for expedited admission to facilities
  • Review and clinical consultation related to forensic commitment packets from the Circuit Courts; Review of monthly reports from contracted facilities as needed;
  • Quality reivew of performance at the Mental Health Treatment Facilities as needed upon request
  • Process owner and reviews of Seclusion and Restraint Data from the Mental Health Treatment Facilities
  • Provision of information or data support as needed for legislative bill analyses upon request; Processing public record request as needed
  • Backup Competency Evalutator for the Mental Health Treatment Facilities
  • Florida Administrative Code rule revisions; as needed for the treatment facilities
  • Review of Research Proposals for the Human Protections administrator
  • Clinical consultantions with facility based staff and regional legal counsels for DCF
  • Collection of statewide and national mental health related data as requested by administration
  • Tracking updates from the Florida State Mental Health Planning Council; Review of Trauma-Informated Care initiatives
  • Repond to Mental Health Surveys from other states, as needed
  • Completion of special projects, or policies, as assigned by administration
  • Provides expert testimony in court hearings related to individuals served and department policy, as requested.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of the theories and principles of psychology.

• Knowledge of psychological testing principles and practices.
• Knowledge of methods of compiling, organizing, analyzing and interpreting data.
• Knowledge of program planning and evaluation.
• Knowledge of supervision and management.
• Knowledge of administrative principles and practices.
• Knowledge of problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations policies and procedures.
• Ability to develop policies, procedures and standards.
• Ability to analyze and interpret psychological data.
• Ability to provide consultation, advice and training to others.
• Ability to formulate and implement goals and objectives.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to manage a hospital PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES program.
• Ability to assess budgetary needs.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with others.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Licensure as a Psychologist in accordance with Florida Statute 490 and one year of professional psychology experience post licensure.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• Health insurance
• Life insurance; $25,000 policy is free plus option to purchase additional life insurance
• Dental, vision and supplemental insurance
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
  • (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Opportunities for career advancement
• Tuition waiver for public college courses

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

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENT Only US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS).  Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov.

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

#SAMH

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.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  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.