Job Description

Requisition No: 869712

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: SOCIAL SERVICES COUNSELOR - 60059333

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60059333

Salary: $1,461.54 - $1,954.62 bi-weekly

Posting Closing Date: 02/11/2026

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The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) isthe 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

Northeast Florida State Hospital (NEFSH) is a 613-bed, licensed mental health treatment facility that provides person-centered services to adults suffering from severe and persistent mental illness. The hospital, located in Macclenny, was established in 1959 and is the largest state operated civil treatment facility.

NORTHEAST FLORIDA STATE HOSPITAL IS A TOBACCO FREE FACILITY.

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

This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as the Social Services Counselorwithin the Recovery Division. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office. This role requires the use of independent judgment, a proactive approach to responsibilities, and exceptional attention to detail. If you are driven, organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Actively participates in the treatment process, attending treatment team meetings, and contributing in the development and revision of individuals under treatment with their therapeutic plan. Intreprets critical information about the individual's social history and current social situation to the team. Records community needs of individuals at the meetings, and jointly works with the team in making recommendations for treatment and discharge planning. Completes level of care (LOCUS) Assessments at the following intervals: Baseline, Annual, Semi-Annual and upon Discharge.
• Coordinates planned and unplanned discharges from the unit and serves as the point of contact between the community liaison with the catchment area and the unit, arranges an after care plan for unit based discharges, notifies significant others of discharge plans, arranges for transportation when necessary, and completes necessary discharge documentation and discharge notes. Develops and maintains expertise regarding community resources to prepare individuals for discharge. Educates treatment teams regarding available community resources and their relationship to discharge planning.
• Conducts individual counseling and group psychotherapy with chronically mentally ill persons, including geriatric individuals. Assesses level of functioning with regard to social and community life skills necessary for discharge to the community.
• Documents all social services treatment and unit discharge activities in the clinical record. Completes weekly and monthly progress notes, psychosocial histories, discharge notes for unit based discharges, admission and movement records, and event notes as appropriate. Updates the accuracy of face sheets, including information on changes of addresses and phone numbers, guardians and guardian advocates, 1st representatives, and other significant persons necessary to ensure quality continuity of care.
• Interviews/contacts family members of individuals being served to obtain data related to personal, social, and emotional history. Maintains regular contact with family or significant others through treatment team meetings, telephone contacts, and letters in order to provide updates on the individual's condition and current discharge plans. Counsels with family about sensitive situations involving individuals related to their mental and physical problems.
• Coordinates day passes and leave of absences with treatment team, legal department, and the Administrative Review Committee (ARC) as required. Coordinates referrals for prosthetic devices and medical equipment as necessary. Assists with habeas corpus requests and court appearances as necessary.
• Will be available to assist other staff with transportation on recreational outings, escort individuals to appointments for prosthetic devices or hospital wide celebrations, and transport individuals to the community for discharge readiness apppointments or actual discharge placement.
• Assists in training new Social Services Counselors.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Salary is commensurate with experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of counseling techniques and practices.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of social work, nursing, education or counseling.
• Knowledge of methods of compiling, organizing and analyzing data.
• Ability to develop treatment or rehabilitation programs.
• Ability to develop guidelines and procedures for the delivery of social services.
• Ability to develop and present staff development and training programs.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to follow through on all phases of the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of clients.
• Ability to provide casework services to clients.
• Ability to collect, analyze and interpret data.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, education or nursing and three years of professional experience in providing social work, health education, nursing or counseling services; or
• A master's degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, education or nursing and two years of professional experience as described above.

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 responding to qualifying questions and entering work history.

• If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.

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

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENTOnly 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.

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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 (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.