MENTAL HEALTH SECURITY SPECIALIST - 60073404

Requisition No: 800577 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: MENTAL HEALTH SECURITY SPECIALIST - 60073404

Position Number: 60073404 

Salary:  $15 hr. 

Posting Closing Date: 01/30/2025 

MENTAL HEALTH SECURITY SPECIALIST

Description:   

This Career Service position is responsible for providing safety and security for persons served, staff, visitors, and the property of the State of Florida. 

Minimum Requirements:

• 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 in a Law Enforcement Academy or Military Academy.
• Corrections training experience, certification preferred
•  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.

Additional Requirements:

• A valid Florida driver’s license is required.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• 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. 
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities Deemed Essential To This 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.

• **NOTE: All responses proved to the qualifying questions for the vacancy advertisement must be verifiable on your State of Florida, Employment Application. **

• This position requires a level II security background check and participation in direct deposit. Note: you will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check.

• Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov .

• 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 cancelled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.

The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system.  E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.

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.