MENTAL HEALTH SECURITY SPECIALIST OPS - 60955508

Florida; Macclenny (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Department of Children and Families seeks a Mental Health Security Specialist OPS to safeguard facilities, coordinate searches, and respond to emergencies. The role requires vigilance in enforcing safety protocols, supervision of residents, and collaboration with law enforcement and hospital staff.

The position demands strong investigative skills, attention to detail, and reliable judgment, with duties ranging from patrols to training on restraints and radio usage.

Qualifications

• Ability to perform investigations.
• Knowledge of basic investigative techniques.
• Ability to read, interpret and apply regulatory materials.
• Ability to use deductive reasoning.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to conduct fact finding interviews.

Responsibilities

• Patrol grounds by foot or by vehicle for protection and security of buildings and living areas; inspect for hazards and contraband.
• Respond to emergencies and incidents; control combative residents.
• Operate Welcome Center; log visitors and staff and issue parking passes.
• Patrol for traffic and parking violations; assist with traffic control devices.
• Conduct hospital-wide fire drills; inspect extinguishers and alarms; participate in disaster drills.
• Inspect living areas and staff offices for hazards or contraband.
• Serve as Centrex Operator; manage calls and logs; operate radio and dispatch staff as needed.
• Escort residents to terminals and other facilities.
• Assist Transportation with medical runs as needed.
• Participate in meetings and special projects; provide feedback to supervisors.
• Conduct training on restraints and two-way radio usage.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Investigations

Basic investigative techniques

Regulatory materials

Deductive reasoning

Communication

Interviews

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Basic recruit training course

College coursework in social/behavioral sciences

Job description

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MENTAL HEALTH SECURITY SPECIALIST OPS - 60955508

Date: Oct 2, 2026

The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer. For more information click on our E-Verify Website .

Requisition No:869067

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: MENTAL HEALTH SECURITY SPECIALIST OPS - 60955508

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 Mental Health Security Specialist OPS within the Safety and Operations 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.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Patrol grounds by foot or by vehicle for the protection and security of buildings, equipment, living areas, and fenced-in areas; inspect for hazards, contraband, unauthorized persons, and eloping residents. Conduct searches to find and retrieve missing and eloped residents. Assist in coordinating these searches with other agencies. Inspect and maintain all equipment assigned to the Security Department.
• Respond to calls for assistance or for emergencies relating to resident disturbances, CSU admissions, medical emergencies, fires and other types of disaster situations. Responsible for the physical control of combative residents.
• Operate the Welcome Center; log in visitors and staff, observe for unauthorized entry and all vehicles for items that should be bolted down or locked inside. Issue parking passes/decals and maintain appropriate records.
• Patrol for traffic and parking violations; issue department tickets to violators. Assist and monitor the flow of traffic control devices. Assist in the investigation of traffic accidents occurring on grounds.
• Conduct hospital-wide fire drills. Inspect fire extinguishers, fire alarms and warning devices. Participate in disaster preparedness drills. Conduct safety inspections of residents' living areas, their activity areas and staff offices looking for hazards or contraband.
• Make routine inspections of buildings in designated zones; conduct walk-throughs; check unoccupied areas and living areas in designated zones, watching for anything that may compromise the environment's safety and security.
• Serve as Centrex Operator. Duties include answering incoming local and long-distance telephone calls. Make proper connections to persons or offices via an on-line employee directory lookup with multiple search criteria. Place local and long-distance telephone calls for both staff and the people served. Maintain records of calls placed for the purpose of verification of billing. Operate a two-way radio communications system and paging system. Alert and/or dispatch Security staff, Emergency Response Team and other hospital staff as necessary. Obtain and log information necessary to provide response to emergencies.
• Provide escort of residents to and from institution terminals and other hospitals and mental health facilities.
• Assist Transportation with medical runs as needed.
• Participate as a designee in meetings, special projects, or special functions as appointed, representing the department in a professional and courteous manner. Provide feedback to the Shift Supervisor or Mental Health Security Chief as needed.
• Conducts training on Application of Restraints once a month. Conducts training for Two-Way Radio Utilization once a month.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Ability to perform investigations.
• Knowledge of basic investigative techniques.
• Ability to read, interpret and apply regulatory materials.
• Ability to use deductive reasoning.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to conduct fact finding interviews.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or its equivalent and one year of experience providing for the safety and security of patients and/or staff in either a residential or outpatient mental health or acute care facility.
• Successful completion of a basic recruit training course or its equivalent can substitute for the required experience.
• Successful completion of college course work with a major course of study in one of the social, behavioral or rehabilitative sciences can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required work experience.

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.

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.

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

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATIONAll 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 NOTICEIf 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 SCREENINGIt 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.

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.

For assistance, call the People First Service Center at [phone] Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Pursuant to Florida Law, 110.211 F. S., the State of Florida is an EEO employer.