About the role
Human Services Practitioner provides mental health support within the prenatal care clinic and coordinates referrals to external services as needed.
This position requires a Level 2 Background Screening and Drug Screen. This position is grant funded
- Collaborate with the patient’s primary obstetric provider and other mental health providers to support mental health care.
- Screen and assess patients for mental health and substance use disorders.
- Educate patients about common mental health and substance use disorders and treatment options.
- Monitor patients for changes in symptoms, treatment side effects, or complications, in person or by phone.
- Support medication management prescribed by obstetric care clinicians, focusing on adherence, side effects, and treatment effectiveness.
- Provide psychoeducation on medication risks and benefits during pregnancy/postpartum.
- Deliver brief interventions using evidence-based techniques like Behavioral Activation, Problem Solving Treatment, or Motivational Interviewing.
- Facilitate referrals to evidence-based psychotherapy treatments (e.g., ERP, DBT) as needed.
- Encourage patient engagement and follow-up in care.
- Track patient follow-up and outcomes using a registry; document encounters and use the system to reengage patients.
- Document patient progress and treatment recommendations in the registry for sharing with the care team.
- Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the obstetric care team maternal-fetal medicine, psychiatry and psychology consultants. These may include changes in medications or psychotherapy treatments or appropriate referrals for additional services.
- Facilitate referrals to services outside the prenatal clinic (e.g., social services, specialty care, substance abuse treatment).
- Develop relapse prevention plans for patients in remission
- Performs other duties as assigned
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
- Commitment to providing culturally competent, non-judgmental treatment to our patient population.
- Experience in perinatal mental health.
- Experience in screening, assessment, and treatment planning for mental health and substance use disorders.
- Working knowledge of differential diagnosis and evidence-based psychosocial treatments for common mental health disorders.
- Familiarity with brief intervention techniques (e.g., Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Activation).
- Basic knowledge of psychopharmacology for mental health disorders, within the provider's scope of practice.
- Experience collaborating effectively in a team setting.
- Ability to maintain professional relationships with patients and the care team.
- Ability to navigate mandated reporting guidelines while prioritizing informed consent, patient advocacy, and minimizing harm.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfort with the pace of prenatal care.
- Ability to engage patients in a therapeutic relationship, virtually or in person.
Minimum Qualifications:
Each position assigned to this classification must require specific training at the Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree level in Education, Special Education, Psychology, Social Work, or other field appropriate to the program content. Bachelor’s degree candidates must have at least two years of applicable experience. The Master’s degree may substitute for the required experience. Specific certifications or licensures may be required or preferred for certain program areas.
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Appropriate training and clinical licensure to provide psychotherapy (e.g., Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Social Worker, Certified Counselor, Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Registered Nurse
- Experience in a prenatal setting
Bilingual in Spanish and English.
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.