Community Outreach Coordinator

Position Summary:

Established in 2008, the College of Behavioral & Community Sciences is breaking new ground by combining knowledge gained through the behavioral sciences with knowledge gained from the community. The College serves approximately 3,100 students with seven undergraduate, 14 master's, and seven doctoral programs housed in six academic departments/schools.

As the state and the nation's systems of health care, social service, civil and criminal justice continue to change, the Department of Behavioral Health Science and Practice is uniquely positioned to address the parallel changes in research and training needs. Our faculty conduct research on critical and emerging issues surrounding the funding, delivery, and outcomes of public behavioral health services as well as issues arising in public health and civil and criminal justice systems.

Since 2007, the Florida Legislature has authorized and funded the Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program and designated the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), as the site for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center (CJMHSA TAC) (s. 394.657, F.S.). The goals of the Reinvestment Grant Program are to:

• divert individuals with mental health and/or substance issues from the criminal and juvenile justice systems,
• improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or co-occurring disorder and who are in or at risk of entering the criminal justice systems, and
provide funds to plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems.

The CJMHSA Technical Assistance Center provides high-quality technical assistance, training, and systems consultation to communities seeking to enhance their systems for populations with behavioral health and criminal justice histories through Florida's Reinvestment Grant Program. Reporting to the Program Director of the CJMHSA TAC, the Community Outreach Coordinator represents and promotes the services of the CJMHSA TAC throughout the state of Florida and nationwide.

Primary Job Duties:

• Leads proactive outreach to communities that have not previously applied for CJMHSA grants
• Coordinates and conducts presentations at local meetings, community events, statewide conferences, and regional forums to promote the reinvestment grant program
• Distributes TAC/Reinvestment Grant informational, marketing, and outreach materials and collects community feedback to identify local needs and barriers
• Tracks state legislative activity to identify emerging opportunities for TAC expansion or new technical assistance priorities
• Build and sustains relationships with local and regional stakeholders to strengthen the statewide network of behavioral health and justice partnerships
• Supports TAC's visibility through social media, newsletters, and other outreach platforms
• Collaborates with TAC team to build out and pilot new web page infrastructure
• Maintains regular communication with DCF regional offices to align outreach strategies and leverage regional relationships to reach new areas
• Leads the maintenance of a continuously updated internal repository of slide decks, talking points, and other outreach material to support outreach, positioning of the Center, strategic initiatives, and community engagement.
• Requires travel - ability to travel across State of Florida and/or other locations as requested

Qualifications

Minimum:

Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of three-five years related experience in the behavioral health, public health, or criminal/juvenile justice fields.

Preferred:

Master’s degree in public health, criminal justice, behavioral health, or related fields.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Strong skills and experience in oral and written communications. This position may be called upon to plan and make presentations to external and internal audiences. This position also involves writing, editing and/or overseeing development of outreach and promotional materials such as brochures, flyers, online, and multimedia content.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel, Teams)

• Proficient with Qualtrics, Zoom, Canva, USF Content Management System (web content management system)

• Familiarity or willingness to learn about national and state contracts and grants

• Creative and engaging updates of social media pages

Soft Skills:

• Excellent presentation, oral, and written communication skills

• Demonstrate professionalism in all settings

• Establishes contact with and serves on committees of agencies/providers

• Strong communication skills for educating policymakers and legislative bodies

• Strong problem-solving skills; ability to think quickly on your feet.

Industry Knowledge

• Knowledge of the field's concepts and principles (behavioral health, criminal justice, juvenile justice, child welfare system, and co-occurring behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities best practice models)

• Familiarity or willingness to learn about the Reinvestment grant program history and requirements for grantees

• Familiarity/knowledge with the Statutory language that creates and sustains the project

• Substantive knowledge of Florida's behavioral health and criminal justice systems

• Familiarity with Florida Department of Children and Families infrastructure (e.g. managing entities, DCF regions and circuits)

• Identification of communities/providers who would benefit well from Reinvestment Grant funding, answers questions regarding grant program

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

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, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. 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 $738 million in research funding in 2024 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 more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.