Human Services Practitioner

Human Services Practitioner is a key member of a collaborative obstetric team, including obstetric providers in the prenatal clinic and maternal-fetal medicine, psychology, and psychiatric consultants. The goal of the position is to improve access and delivery of mental health services during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. 

Human Services Practitioner provides mental health support within the prenatal care clinic and coordinates referrals to external services as needed. 

This position is grant funded. This position requires drug screening and a level II background check.

• 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.

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. Licensed in either Mental Health Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Social Worker, Certified Counselor, Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Registered Nurse.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a prenatal setting 

• Bilingual in Spanish and English. 

• 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. 

 

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. P