SOCIAL SERVICES COUNSELOR - F/C - 67072379 APD CHATTAHOOCHEE, FL Date: Jan 17, 2025 The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer. For more information click on our E-Verify Website (http://www.dms.myflorida.com/workforce\_operations/human\_resource\_management/for\_job\_applicants/e\_verify) . Requisition No: 845205 Agency: Agency for Persons with Disabilities Working Title: SOCIAL SERVICES COUNSELOR - F/C - 67072379 APD CHATTAHOOCHEE, FL Pay Plan: Career Service Position Number: 67072379 Salary: $1,318.79- $1,878.11 BIWEEKLY Posting Closing Date: 01/24/2025 Total Compensation Estimator Tool (https://compcalculator.myflorida.com/) AGENCY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES POSITION: Social Services Counselor Forensic- Career Service POSITION NUMBER: 67072379 OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY SALARY RANGE: $1,318.79- $1,878.11 BIWEEKLY Working hours 8:00am-4:30pm This posting may close before the posted closing date. CANDIDATE POOL: Future vacancies may be filled from this advertisement for a period of up to six months. The 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 eligible employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits, including: + 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 click www.myfrs.com ). + Flexible Spending Accounts. + Tuition waivers. + And more! For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com . + Paid Maternity and Parental Leave. + https://compcalculator.myflorida.com/ The Agency seeks team members who demonstrate the qualities of being humble, hungry, and smart and lead others to embody the same. This entails lacking excessive ego, sharing credit, being self-motivated, and exercising good judgment and intuition regarding the subtleties of group dynamics. This position with APD will serve staff and management across the Agency. Your work will impact the workplace culture, our community, and the population we serve as we continuously strive to achieve the Agency’s mission. Program Overview The Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program operates on the campus of Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee and at Sunland in Marianna under the auspices of The State of Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). The Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program (DDDP) is dedicated to empowering persons with developmental disabilities charged with a felony crime to: 1. Acquire the skills and supports that will prepare them for success in their future environments. 2. Acquire the skills needed to become competent to stand trial. Position Summary This is a highly responsible clinical/administrative position that serves as a Support Coordinator and involves the coordination of resident support implementation within a specified treatment unit. Areas of responsibility include specific duties to be performed before, during and after support plan meeting, as well as maintaining appropriate documentation and records to ensure compliance with applicable state and facility rules, regulations, procedures, guidelines, and directives. The Support Coordinator maintains an ongoing, meaningful relationship with each resident and advocates for the resident at all times. The incumbent assigned to this position is the single point of accountability for overall services to the resident. Support Plan - Preparation • Maintains ongoing Support Plan schedule system • Informs residents, family members, significant others, and team members of meeting times and locations in writing in a timely manner. Ensure this notification is recorded in the medical record. • Meets with each resident to be reviewed prior to the support plan meeting to prepare them for the meeting and to identify relevant issues/concerns that resident would like to be addressed. • Reviews prior evaluation reports, progress notes, and assessments of each resident to be reviewed and identifies issues/needs or inconsistencies that need to be addressed. • Prepares written meeting agenda(s) as necessary and dispense to team members in a timely fashion. Support Plan Team Meeting – Facilitation • Serves as chairperson of support plan meetings • Facilitates the team process in reviewing the individual’s progress since last review. • Integrates input from the resident, team members and others in developing support plans that are acceptable to all parties involved. • Ensures active and respectful participation of resident and serves as resident’s advocate in situations involving disagreement or conflict. • Guides meeting participants to effective, consensual decision making • Utilizes best business practice team building skills in accomplishing above (i.e. problem-solving, conflict resolution, accurate and active listening, consensus building and resident engagement) Coordination of Over-All Services • Ensures that all issues are documented on the support plan. • Provides copies of updated plan to all team members or other service providers with action items that relate to services to be delivered by each member clearly highlighted • Develops a system of ongoing monitoring and evaluation of service providers to ensure that services are delivered as prescribed by the support plan. • Provides systematic feedback of service delivery to supervisor and providers regarding staff performance issues and/or corrective actions necessary to properly implement support plans. • Completes all admission documentation, psychosocial assessments, summaries and reports (monthly, annually, daily) as required or directed by appropriate management staff. • Assures that all service activities are incorporated in the resident’s schedules. • Identifies need for follow-up meetings or special staffing and schedule as necessary. Chairs the interdisciplinary reviews on a quarterly or on an as needed basis for identified residents on respective caseload. • Assures appropriate follow-up review of consultations and referrals. • Coordinates the discharge process including but not limited to completion of placement referrals and coordinating outside contacts. • A valid driver’s license. Resident Relationship/Advocacy • Maintains ongoing, meaningful relationships with assigned resident and meets with each resident as needed at least monthly with progress note documentation. • Ensures empowerment of residents within support plan process, through active encouragement engagement and involvement of resident. • Advocates for residents at all times and strives to refocus treatment staff on resident as priority. • Works closely with each residents Personal Advocate to promote continuity of care. • Monitors make recommendations regarding facilities, documents and reports information regarding the movement of residents. Community Liaison • Maintains ongoing communication with Residential Planning Coordinators and Court Liaisons and other Community Personnel and ensure that they are informed of support plan reviews of individual residents. Ensure this notification is documented in the medical record. • Coordinates outside contacts for residents with family, friends, the legal system, and others. Provides case management guidance and counseling to residents and their families. • Coordinates and ensures that all releases (including LOA) are appropriately scheduled, coordinated and enacted. This includes all appropriate notification and documentation. Training and Education • Meet regularly with other Support Coordinators and supervisor to review issues and concerns relating to role, function and procedures for exercise of the position • Attends all mandatory training. Other Delegated Responsibilities • Completes Quality Management/Risk Management duties as assigned • Identifies resources required in the facility and community. • Identifies and facilitates ward and unit based therapeutic approaches and programs in concert with the Unit Management Team. • Completes Questionnaire for Situational Information (QSI) as assigned. • Ability to document and ensure documentation is completed as required. • Completes all required training. Maintain MANDT certification as required. • Maintain timesheet, ensuring accuracy and submit timely in accordance with policy and procedure. • Performs other duties as assigned. The Work You Will Do DDDP is a forensic facility working with individuals with disabilities in a secure setting.  These individuals have been adjudicated by the courts as incompetent to proceed to trial and have significant behavioral and psychiatric issues.  DDDP provides rehabilitative, vocational, and daily living skills training to the individuals served which allows for a smooth transition back into a non-secure residential or community setting.  Pathways is a 34-bed all male forensic facility working with individuals with disabilities in a secure setting.  These individuals have been adjudicated by the courts as incompetent to proceed to trial and have significant behavioral and psychiatric issues.  Pathways provides rehabilitative, vocational, and daily living skills training to the individuals served which allows for a smooth transition back into a non-secure residential or community setting.   Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities • Knowledge of rehabilitation or mental health treatment techniques. • Knowledge of the principles and practices of social work, education or counseling. • Knowledge of methods of compiling, organizing and analyzing data. • Ability to administer or participate in major mental health service programs and functions. • Ability to conduct on-site evaluations of facilities and programs. • Ability to interpret and coordinate the implementation of mental health service programs, goals and administrative procedures. • Ability to maintain liaison with other agencies. • Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments. • 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. • Prevention and Safety Strategies MANDT at the Advanced level is required unless the incumbent requests reasonable accommodation supported by an annual medical certification. Incumbent is required to submit to pre-employment TB screening and on an annual on-going basis as prescribed by DDDP. • Maintain confidentiality of employee and/or resident information. This specific standard is mission critical as the Agency is entrusted with information about employees and residents which is protected by HIPAA and other federal and state laws. The Agency’s ability to maintain and protect confidential information has a direct relationship to our ability to gain and sustain the public trust. • Based on the duties and essential functions of this position, incumbents will be required to spend a minimum of 75% of work time performing duties which involves direct contact with residents in a secure forensic facility. This position requires lifting, pulling and squatting. Additional Information We are dedicated to empowering persons with developmental disabilities charged with a felony crime to acquire the skills needed to become competent to stand trial, and to acquire the skills and supports that will prepare them for success in their future environments. Recruiting Contact:       Jodi NeSmith       Recruitment Manager- Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program & Pathways   Agency for Persons with Disabilities       Telephone: (850) 793-7075 Email:jodi.nesmith@apdcares.org Profile Completion Applicants must complete all fields in the Candidate Profile, including their work history within the month and year, to qualify for this position. Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile, and “see resume” will not be considered an acceptable response. Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information, but this will not replace the required completed Candidate Profile. 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 will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement. Direct Deposit Program As a condition of employment, a person appointed to a position in the State Personnel System is required to participate in the Direct Deposit Program. Rather than receiving a paper paycheck, your funds will be deposited directly into your account at your financial institution. This will be accomplished by Electronic Funds Transfer. Banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions are eligible to accept such deposits. Retirement funds are also required to be in the Direct Deposit Program. Background Screening Requirement It is the policy of the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities that applicants for employment undergo Level 2 employment screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer. No applicant for a designated position will be employed or permitted to volunteer until the Level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Agency. Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for Statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and may include local criminal records checks through local law enforcement agencies. Pursuant to S. 110.1127(1), Florida Statutes, this position requires a background investigation, including fingerprinting. APD only hires U.S. citizens, and those lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. APD participates in the U.S. government’s employment eligibility verification program (E-verify). E-verify is a program that electronically confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the U.S. after completing the employment eligibility verification form (I-9). All applicants should complete the online application process. If assistance is needed to apply for this position, please call the people first service center at 1-877-562-7287. Responses to the qualifying questions are required to be considered for this position. Answers to the qualifying questions must be verifiable based on your submitted application. 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 clickinghere (http://www.dms.myflorida.com/content/download/97612/566545) . All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement. Location: CHATTAHOOCHEE, FL, US, 32324 Nearest Major Market:Tallahassee