Clinical Therapist I ACT

Salary: $61,066.67 - $78,615.84 Annually
Location : Portsmouth, VA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: FY2025-01316
Department: Behavioral Healthcare Services
Opening Date: 03/25/2026
Closing Date: 6/1/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under general supervision, this position provides professional clinical services to individuals and families through assessment and therapy, and crisis intervention for the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). Coordinates and provides consultative services in conjunction with other community agencies. Reports to Program Administrator.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Develops and implements treatment plans and refers to case management, as needed; monitors consumer behavior and documents accordingly; documents and maintains case records in accordance with program policies and procedures; and conducts mental health outpatient intake assessments and diagnostic evaluations.
Provides coordination and consultative services in cooperation with other staff; consults with psychiatrists and/or psychiatric nurses, clinical manager, and program administrator regarding medication and diagnoses treatments; and adjusts treatment plans accordingly.
Conducts intakes for individuals requesting services and screening for individuals. Assist with implementing Assertive Community Treatment Program regulations and procedures.
Conducts intake evaluations, emergency interventions and clinical assessments; assesses disposition of individuals to determine level of intervention and/or services requires.
Conducts crisis intervention; assesses disposition of consumers to determine level of intervention required and documents consumer intervention needs; conducts individual, group, and family therapy; serves as a primary therapist to individuals assigned to caseload; and implements and maintains rules to provide for consumer safety.
Consults with Clinical Manager, Program Administrator and Psychiatrist regarding diagnosis and treatments; adjusts treatment plans accordingly.

Serves as a liaison to staff members to discuss consumers' progress and care; monitors, documents, maintains, and adjusts consumer treatment plans, records and progress; and ensures that consumers receive appropriate services and treatment, including medical services.
Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of Job: Has thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of therapy, crisis intervention, case management, and mental health issues. Has considerable knowledge of the literature, trends and developments in the field. Is skilled in promoting the integration of services among a variety of service agencies. Is skilled in assisting, coordinating, and supervising the activities of consumers. Is able to use standard office equipment, including a telephone, calculator, copier, facsimile, etc. Is able to compile information from a variety of sources and prepare clear and concise reports. Is able to respond quickly and effectively in a variety of emergency and nonemergency situations. Is able to effectively express ideas orally and in writing. Is able to exercise considerable discretion in handling confidential files and cases. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts with co-workers, consumers and the general public.
Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."
Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a general level of supervision and instruction.
Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences is justified i.e., poor communications, variance with policy or procedures, etc.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisor for mutual and BHS benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all consumers and employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, to project a good BHS image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image and surrounding regions. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, program consumers, supervisors, professionals and the general public.
Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.
Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly work place.
Education, Experience & Special Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
Requires a Master's degree in Social Work, Psychology, or a related field and 1 - 2 years of experience providing clinical service, or an equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required education and experience. Experience with diagnosis and assessments. Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) preferred.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be licensed eligible for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Must have or able to pass Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Certifications or have the ability to obtain certifications within 90 days from date of hire and maintain them as a condition of employment.
Requires a comprehensive background investigation to include a local, state and federal criminal history check; and a sex offender registry check.
A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.
Individuals in this position cannot be listed as having a founded child abuse or neglect complaint.
In the event of a declared emergency in the city of Portsmouth, individuals in this position are required to work shelter duty and may be called on to perform duties as required to provide for the safety and care of the citizens of the community.

Physical Demands

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIREDTO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office equipment which includes telephones, calculators, copiers, computer terminals, facsimile, etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds force occasionally and up to 50 pounds to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects or resisting individuals.
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving assignments and/or directions to unit members, volunteers or assistants. Includes receiving instructions from immediate supervisor.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, documents, evaluations, assessments, summaries, forms, charts, etc. Requires the ability to prepare consumer records, reports, charts, reviews, and treatment plans, using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to interact with individuals and groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical thinking to define problems and emergencies, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret a variety of technical or medical instructions in verbal or written form.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of medical or professional languages, including counseling terminology.

Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide, and calculate percentages.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment.

Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Sensory Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with persons acting under stress.
Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS

The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
The city of Portsmouth offers a complete and comprehensive benefit package to full-time employees including: medical, dental, vision, legal, Flexible Spending Accounts, basic and optional life insurance, short-term disability insurance, Virginia Retirement System (includes a mandatory 5% employee contribution), holidays, vacation, sick leave, deferred compensation plan, and Chartway Credit Union. To learn more details, visit
01


Do you have a Master's degree in Social Work, Psychology or a related field?

• Yes
• No

02


Are you Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) preferred?

• Yes
• No

03


Do you have or able to pass Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Certifications or have the ability to obtain certifications within 90 days from date of hire and maintain them as a condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

04


Please select the highest level of education completed.

• Less than High School
• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associates/Vocational/Technical
• Bachelor's Degree or Higher

05


How many years of experience do you possess working with clients who have a mental health/substance abuse or co-occurring diagnosis?

• I have no experience
• I have less than 2 years experience
• Yes, I have 2-4 years experience
• Yes, I have 4-6 years experience
• Yes, I have more than 6 years experience

06


Are you a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)?

• Yes
• No

07


Are you a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia?

• Yes
• No

08


Do you have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record?

• Yes
• No

09


Do you have experience with diagnosis and assessments?

• Yes
• No

10


Do you have 1 - 2 years of experience providing clinical service?

• Yes
• No

Required Question