Job Description

Requisition No: 850212 

Agency: Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Working Title: OPS BEHAVIORAL SPECIALIST - 67923307

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 67923307 

Salary: $20.00 Hourly 

Posting Closing Date: 07/09/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator 

POSITION: BEHAVIORAL SPECIALIST - Other Personal Services (OPS)

POSITION NUMBER: 67923307

OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY

This position is not a Telework position and is required to report to the APD office in the area it serves.

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:

• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options.
• Retirement plan options, (For more information, please click ).
• And more! For a more complete list of benefits, visit  .

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.

*Responses to the qualifying questions are required and must be verifiable based on your submitted application, and “see resume” will not be considered an acceptable response.

SALARY RANGE

$20.00 Hourly

Position Summary

This is an OPS (Other Personnel Services) position titled, The Behavior Specialist, that will work to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of individuals supported by APD. This role involves conducting on-site health and welfare checks, assessments, and investigations in response to allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The position will also provide technical assistance and case management to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, including reviewing incident reports, reaching out to providers, and monitoring behavior-related supports and services.

The Work You Will Do  

Conduct on-site health and welfare checks responding to an allegation of abuse, neglect, exploitation and sexual misconduct of an APD client involving an APD provider or staff.

Conduct assessments, observations, and interviews within 24 hours to ensure immediate actions are taken to protect the health, safety and welfare of all potentially affected consumers.

Prepare health and safety summary reports and check lists and submit electronically within hours of visit.

Serve as coordinator for individuals' behavior-related supports and services. Review incident reports to identify contributing factors leading to Baker Acts, missing persons, altercations, and client injuries during administration of reactive strategies, and follow up on documented preventative measures being implemented to mitigate the recurrence of similar types of incidents.

Serve as case manager providing technical support and monitoring of timely and appropriate reporting of critical and otherwise reportable incidents according to Incident Reporting rule, FAC 65G-2 and Reactive Strategies Rule, FAC 65G-8. Services include, but not limited to, monitoring and providing technical assistance for licensed group homes, support coordinators, supported living coaches, adult day care center staff, and other provider agency operators.

Read, understand and train others about Agency policy/ operating procedures and rules.

Work collaboratively with DCF investigators, Local Sheriff's Department, Licensing, and SLC Staff to ensure client health and safety.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.

• Valid Driver's license or other means of transportation to travel for work purposes.

• Bachelor's degree preferred or 2 years professional work experience with Developmental Disabilities or Mental Illness, or the principles and practices of one of the allied health field principles or one of the rehabilitative sciences.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Knowledge of and Proficiency in:

• Databases, electronic files, and Microsoft Office Programs.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.

• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with clients and other agencies.

• Travel for work purposes.

Demonstrate Skills in:

• Excellent customer service.

Additional Information

Profile Completion

To qualify for this position, applicants must complete all fields in the Candidate Profile, including their work history with the month and year.

Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information but 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 your retirement date.

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), which 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 you need assistance applying 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.

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