regional community forensic liaison - Tampa, United States - State of Florida

Description

Requisition No:

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: REGIONAL COMMUNITY FORENSIC LIAISON

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number:

Salary: $45,000-$60,000 Annually

Posting Closing Date: 05/27/2024

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

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.

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 SUNCOAST REGIONAL OFFICE.

This is a highly responsible and professional position that will serve as the Regional Community Forensic Liaison to circuit courts, the criminal justice and mental health partners, community mental health providers, managing entities, regional counsel and state mental health treatment facilities serving individuals with mental illnesses committed or at risk of being committed pursuant to Chapter 916, Florida Statutes. The position focuses on expanding Florida's capacity and ability to serve individuals involved in both the mental health system and the criminal justice system who may have otherwise been traditionally served in a secure facility. This work requires the use of independent judgement, take initiative in carrying out duties and responsibilities and should be extraordinarily detail oriented.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Provide technical assistance to circuit liaisons, forensic case managers, managing entities, court and jail staff, criminal justice partners, and treatment facility staff.
• Participate in program development and assessment, data analysis, community liaison, verbal presentations and quality projects. Coordinate presentations and training sessions. Provide training and education to community partners including judges, attorneys and staff of circuit courts, DCF region and facility staff, managing entity staff, forensic evaluators, and educators on the complex issues and needs facing individuals involved in the forensic system as well as education about diversion best practices.
• Work with region stakeholders and managing entity to identify trends and performance improvement opportunities regarding diversions, conditional release and continuity of care.
• Identify systematic barriers impairing opportunities for individuals at risk for commitment.
• Assist circuit courts with cases involving individuals with mental illnesses committed or at risk of being committed pursuant to Chapter 916, Florida Statutes.
• Ensure continuity and maintain close working relationships with the community service providers, State Attorneys, Public Defenders, Circuit Judges, jails, local law enforcement, forensic evaluators, state mental health treatment facilities and managing entities to best navigate the system.
• Collect, compile, verify and enter regional data into data systems and run ad-hoc reports. Interprets data, develops written reports for leadership and recommends improvement opportunities/strategies.
• Assist with the development of standards, policies and procedures, correspondence and other written documents or reports.
• Using multi-media techniques and innovative technology to deliver training and technical assistance virtually.
• Research best practices for potential implementation to improve outcomes for forensic individuals.
• Performs other duties as required to meet program and departmental goals and objectives.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of basic management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of the methods of data collection and analysis.
• Ability to coordinate a consultative program designed to ensure the resolution of managerial and operational problems.
• Ability to determine work priorities and ensure proper completion of work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to assess budgetary needs.
• Ability to formulate policies and procedures.
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to operational and management analysis activities.
• Ability to organize data into logical format for presentation in reports, documents and other written materials.
• Ability to collect, evaluate and analyze data to develop alternative recommendations, solve problems, document work and other activities relating to the improvement of operational and management practices.
• Ability to conduct fact finding research.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to solve problems and make decisions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree from a college or university in the related field of psychology, social work, or criminal justice and four years of criminal justice experience is preferred.
• A master's degree from a college or university in the above referenced related fields can substitute for one year of the required experience.
• Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the preferred college education.

Preference will be given to applicants who have:

• Previous management/project oversight experience, with experience overseeing multiple tasks/priorities.
• Experience providing training and technical assistance to individuals, agencies, communities and/or counties entities.
• Experience with meeting planning/facilitation and use of innovative media/technology desired.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills required, experience with technical writing for professional audiences.
• Experience in mental health treatment, particularly as related to justice-involved populations.

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
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• 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

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:

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.

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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 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 , 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.