Job Description

Requisition No: 855027 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: Children's Behavioral Health Ombudsman - 60011035

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60011035 

Salary: $45,000 - $50,000 

Posting Closing Date: 07/07/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator 

Job Title:   Children’s Behavioral  Health  Specialist

This job ad may be used to fill multiple full-time career service positions.

This is not a telework position.

The selected candidate will be required to work from a DCF local office or Headquarters Mon-Fri, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Attendance is an essential function of this position.

Current employees will be compensated in accordance with the DCF salary policy.

Salary Range: $45,000 - $50,000

What you will do :

The Department of Children and Families Office of the Children’s Behavioral Health Ombudsman is tasked with receiving complaints from children and young adults about their care, and services and to assist in mediating such concerns. Being a resource to identify and explain relevant policies or procedures to children, young adults, and their caregivers. Providing recommendations to the department to address systematic problems that are leading to complaints from children and young adults.

This is a highly responsible position requiring both dedication to high-quality customer service and experience in health and human service system navigation and Substance Abuse and Mental Health. This position will provide professional responses to customer issues using a model of empathy, respect, and care. The incumbent will use analytical and social work skills to assess and resolve escalated customer issues while providing clear and respectful communication with the customer, department leadership, and other stakeholders.

Duties for this position include, but are not limited to :

• Produce responses to complex client issues received from partner agencies and department leadership, many of which involve multiple stakeholders or sister agencies. This response must be complete, accurate, timely, and delivered with respect.
• Facilitate short-term projects using project management skills to resolve complex issues with multiple parties. Example activities: identify appropriate team members, schedule and facilitate meetings, gather documents, produce summaries, develop plans for resolution, meet plan timeframes, and ensure consistent communication with the team and the customer.
• Provide written and verbal communications for customers and stakeholders of exceptional quality. Communicate information in a way that is understandable, actionable, and responds fully to each request or concern raised.
• Acquire and maintain sufficient systems and policy knowledge related to Substance Abuse and Mental Health to effectively collaborate, analyze responses, and produce quality communications.
• This is advanced professional work that ensures all customer inquiries, regardless of source, are resolved on time and with excellence. Ensures precision and efficiency within the unit to provide the highest level of customer service.
• Identifies trends; analyzes, evaluates, and makes recommendations for statewide policy, training, or communication needs.
• Conducts special projects as assigned by the Children’s Behavioral Health Ombudsman, Enterprise Support Director, or the Department Executive Leadership Team.
• This is a full-time position and will not be a telework position.
• This position is required to work in a local DCF office or Headquarters Mon-Fri, 8-5.

  Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in social services or another related field.
• 3 years of experience in child welfare case management or child protection investigations.
• Expertise in Florida’s children's behavioral health services
• Knowledge on how to navigate the Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise in Client Relations and customer service work.
• Knowledge of the methods of data collection and analysis.
• Bilingual (English and Spanish or Creole)
• Experience working in children's behavioral health services.
• Experience in other DCF programs (i.e., ESS, SAMH)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge and application of the policies, procedures, laws, and programs governing the agency.
• Expertise in Substance Abuse and Mental Health case management services are required.
• Prepare, clear, concise, and accurate records and other documentation.
• Ability to conduct fact-finding research.
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to work independently and effectively manage multiple time-sensitive assignments.
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Ability to deal with the public in a tactful, courteous, and effective manner.
• Ability to speak clearly and correctly, and to communicate with others to obtain and verify information concerning eligibility.
• Ability to analyze and interpret written, numerical, and verbal data from various sources.
• Be detail oriented and enter data accurately into a computerized system.
• Ability to navigate through computer screens, and complete and review basic computer documents and other forms.
• Be proficient in the use of the computer including exceptional typing skills.
• Ability to follow written and oral directions and instructions.
• Ability to plan and organize to ensure work are completed in accordance with regulations relating to eligibility and timeliness.
• Ability to use computers and related software packages.

  Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.

• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
• Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.
• It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history.
• If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877)562-7287.   

Additional Information/Requirements:

• This position has also been designated as an essential position. Incumbents are expected to work during emergency situations or natural disasters and may be required to work before, during and beyond normal work hours/days.
• Incumbents may be exposed to possible hazardous conditions in the field.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

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 including:

• No state income tax for residents of Florida.
• Annual and Sick Leave benefits.
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year.
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options.
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit ).
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Tuition waivers.

For a more complete list of benefits, visit .

Growth Opportunities:

With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all. Our jobs are among the most challenging, complex, and difficult in State government. They are also among the most rewarding. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of available Department opportunities for advancement and professional development.

About Department of Children and Families:

Mission :  The mission of the Department of Children and Families 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.

Vision :  We are a highly skilled workforce committed to empowering people with complex and varied needs to achieve the best outcomes for themselves and their families. In collaboration with community stakeholders, we will deliver world class and continuously improving service focused on providing the people we serve with the level and quality that we would demand and expect for our own families.

Values:   A workforce that operates with integrity maintains loyalty to a code of ethics that requires the courage to take responsibility for providing the highest quality of service to the vulnerable. We are a solutions-focused learning organization built on a foundation of transparency in action and accountability of results. Both within the organization and among our stakeholders, we thrive in a culture of respect for

diversity of opinion that is nurtured through open communication. High performing and committed, we are unified in our goal of excellence in achieving quality outcomes for those we serve.

To learn more please visit .

• 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 will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.
• The position will perform all job tasks in accordance with laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements applicable to state and federal laws or procedures.
• We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.
• Participation in the State of Florida Direct Deposit Program is required as a condition of employment per F.S. 110.113, and enrollment must be completed within the first 30 calendar days of your appointment.

Selective Service : 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) before their 26th birthday or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.   Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. For more information, please visit the SSS website:  .

Background Screening Requirement : 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 be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and, if applicable, 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.

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.

Veteran’s 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 visiting . All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.

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. 

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