REHABILITATION THERAPIST - 60074350

State of Florida; United States; On-site; USD 35,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Department of Children and Families is seeking a Rehabilitation Therapist to deliver therapeutic services within a large mental health facility. The role emphasizes direct resident care, documentation, and program evaluation, operating across shifts in a Forensic setting.

Ideal candidates hold a bachelor’s degree in an allied health or rehabilitative field; professional experience may substitute for education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an allied health field, behavioral or rehabilitative sciences (preferred).
• Professional experience can substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct resident services through therapeutic activities.
• Evaluate needs and plan appropriate therapeutic services.
• Document progress notes according to facility procedures.
• Conduct interviews and assessments with residents to identify needs.
• Coordinate program evaluations and drive improvement initiatives.
• Provide training and mentorship to trainees and staff.

Skills

Rehabilitation principles

Interviewing techniques

Report writing

Program planning

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in allied health or rehabilitative sciences

Job description

Rehabilitation Therapist - 60074350

Salary: $34,760.00 - $64,832.62 / Annually

Posting Closing Date: 11/23/2026

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.

Florida State Hospital (FSH) is a mental health treatment facility owned and operated by the State of Florida and is part of the Department of Children and Families. The department’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.”

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 REQUISITION WILL BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE VACANCIES ON ALL SHIFTS.

This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as a Rehabilitation Therapist within the Program Services. 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:

• This position requires lifting, pulling, and squatting. Duties of this position require the incumbent to be knowledgeable of and utilize the principles of Total Quality Management.
• The incumbent performs skilled professional work involved in planning and providing direct resident services through a variety of therapeutic activities in a large mental health facility. Work involves evaluating programmatic and therapeutic needs, planning appropriate therapeutic services, implementing direct resident services through scheduled sessions, and ongoing evaluation of services delivered. The incumbent in this position will spend a minimum of 75% of the time performing duties outlined on the official description in a Forensic facility or institution.
• Provides direct resident services including but not limited to Illness Management and Recovery, Psychiatric Rehabilitation (developing a trusting relationship with residents, assisting residents in choosing desired roles and acquiring skills and supports needed for goal achievement), Treatment (Substance Abuse, Anger Management, Stress Management, Wellness Recovery, Competency Restoration), and Enrichment (services aimed at increasing knowledge, skills, and abilities for improving overall quality of life and promoting successful community integration).
• Documents progress and resident reactions/perspective of individual progress by completing progress notes according to the mental health facility procedures and policies.
• Conducts interviews and assessments, performs record reviews and consults with recovery team members to identify resident service needs (strengths, needs, abilities and preferences).
• Coordinates frequent program evaluations, evaluates intended outcomes, and identifies improvement processes. Participates in performance improvement initiatives individually and by working with teams and revises/develops programs as directed by supervisor.
• Maintains current training required by the facility and increases knowledge of best practices and new techniques for service delivery. Provides learning opportunities, supervision, and mentorship for trainees including interns, volunteers and community visitors. Provides role modeling and training for other staff as directed by supervisor.
• Provides support for unit and hospital-wide activities and initiatives as directed by supervisor. Escorts residents to activities as directed by supervisor and maintains a safe environment.
• Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of one of the allied health field disciplines or one of the rehabilitative sciences.
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques.
• Ability to interview clients to identify needs.
• Ability to plan and conduct rehabilitation therapy programs.
• Ability to prepare reports.Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to write evaluation and progress reports.
• 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 with a major in an allied health field, one of the behavioral or rehabilitative sciences, music therapy, music education, or music, physical education with course work in adaptive physical education, vocational education, sociology, trades and arts education, industrial arts education, leisure studies with course work in therapeutic recreation, or horticulture therapy is preferred.
• Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the preferred college education.

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

• Include the supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
• Account for and explain 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 [phone].

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 (http://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/).

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: 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 on 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.

Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse Education and Awareness website:

https://info.flclearinghouse.com

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.