In School Mental Health Counselor

Benefits:

• Free uniforms
• Opportunity for advancement
• Training & development

In School Mental Health Counselor

Part-Time or Full-Time | W-2 | Loudoun County, Virginia

About Tree of Life Family Services

Tree of Life Family Services, LLC provides behavioral health services to children and families throughout Northern Virginia. We are committed to providing compassionate, high-quality behavioral health services while creating a professional environment centered on teamwork, accountability, communication, ethical practice, regulatory compliance, and continued professional growth.

Our school-based Therapeutic Day Treatment program continues to grow throughout Loudoun County, and we are seeking dependable, compassionate, and motivated Therapeutic Day Treatment (TDT) Counselors who enjoy working directly with children and adolescents.

About the Position

TDT Counselors provide therapeutic and behavioral health support to children and adolescents within the school environment. Counselors help students strengthen emotional regulation, coping skills, communication, social skills, problem-solving, behavioral functioning, and overall success at school.

This is a caseload-based position. Scheduled hours are determined by assigned student caseloads, service authorizations, school schedules, student needs, and program operations.

Counselors may begin with a smaller caseload and fewer scheduled hours. As caseloads grow, scheduled hours may increase, including the opportunity to move into a full school-day schedule.

Because TDT is a Medicaid-funded behavioral health service, an active Virginia QMHP‑Trainee registration, active QMHP registration, or another qualifying Virginia behavioral health credential must be verified before the employee may independently provide TDT services or receive a student caseload.

What You'll Do

• Provide individual therapeutic interventions, behavioral support, and skill-building services to assigned students
• Engage students in purposeful, interactive, and developmentally appropriate therapeutic activities connected to individualized treatment goals
• Conduct individual student sessions and required classroom observations
• Implement individualized treatment goals and monitor student progress
• Conduct required weekly family sessions and maintain consistent, professional communication with parents and guardians
• Participate in care coordination with school personnel and other treatment providers at least monthly and as needed
• Collaborate professionally with teachers, school social workers, administrators, families, and other members of the student’s treatment team
• Complete accurate, timely, and required clinical documentation in accordance with Tree of Life documentation standards and applicable program requirements
• Participate in treatment planning, case consultation, and student-related meetings as required
• Provide appropriate crisis intervention and de‑escalation support and follow established Tree of Life and school crisis and safety protocols
• Participate in required virtual TDT staff meetings, generally held every other week
• Participate in required clinical supervision, generally held every other week on alternating weeks
• Follow Tree of Life policies and procedures as well as applicable DBHDS, Medicaid, Virginia Board, school, safety, documentation, and professional requirements
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and represent Tree of Life professionally within the school community

Virginia Credential Requirements

An active Virginia QMHP‑Trainee registration, active QMHP registration, or another qualifying Virginia behavioral health credential is required before beginning independent Medicaid‑funded TDT service delivery.

Applicants may qualify with:

• Active Virginia QMHP‑Trainee (QMHP‑T) registration
• Active Virginia QMHP registration
• LMHP, LMHP‑Resident, LMHP‑Supervisee, LMHP‑RP, or another Virginia credential authorized to provide Medicaid‑funded TDT services

Applicants With a Pending QMHP‑Trainee Application

Applicants who meet the requirements to pursue QMHP‑Trainee registration but do not yet have an active registration may still apply and may be considered during the recruitment process.

However, QMHP eligibility alone is not considered an active credential, and a pending application, Board receipt, checklist, or proof that documents were submitted does not substitute for an active QMHP‑Trainee registration.

Applicants who need to apply for QMHP‑Trainee registration may review the Virginia Board of Counseling requirements here:

Candidates with a pending QMHP‑Trainee application are expected to:

• Actively monitor their Virginia Board of Counseling application and checklist
• Follow up with the Board regarding incomplete or outstanding items
• Respond promptly to Board requests for additional information or documentation
• Keep Tree of Life Human Resources updated regarding their registration status
• Provide their active registration or current DHP credential verification to HR immediately once issued

Tree of Life must verify the active qualifying credential before the employee may independently provide Medicaid‑funded TDT services or receive a TDT student caseload.

Recruitment, interviewing, background screening, credential review, and appropriate onboarding activities may occur while registration is pending. However, the direct‑service start date and school assignment may be contingent upon active credential verification, onboarding completion, school placement, and caseload availability.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's or master's degree in psychology, social work, counseling, human services, or a related behavioral health field
• Active Virginia QMHP‑Trainee registration, active QMHP registration, or another qualifying Virginia credential required before independent Medicaid TDT service delivery
• Applicants with a pending QMHP‑Trainee application may be considered but must obtain and provide the active registration before receiving a TDT caseload
• Experience working with children and adolescents preferred
• Ability to build rapport with students while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
• Ability to engage children in therapeutic, developmentally appropriate, and interactive interventions
• Strong communication, organization, documentation, and time‑management skills
• Dependable, punctual, professional, and comfortable working independently within a school environment
• Ability to collaborate effectively with families, school personnel, supervisors, and treatment providers
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and responsive during behavioral or crisis situations
• Ability to adapt professionally to changes in student needs, school operations, regulatory requirements, payer requirements, documentation standards, credentialing requirements, and program procedures
• Reliable transportation and the ability to travel to assigned school locations throughout Loudoun County
• Reliable access to a computer for clinical documentation, communication, virtual meetings, training, and other required job responsibilities

School Assignment, Caseload & Required Availability

Candidates must generally be available Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Loudoun County schools operate on different schedules, with some schools beginning and dismissing earlier than others. Once a counselor is assigned to a specific school and caseload, Tree of Life will communicate the counselor’s assigned work schedule based on school operating hours, caseload, student authorizations, and program needs.

The 8:00 AM–4:00 PM timeframe represents the general availability required for school‑based assignments and does not guarantee eight scheduled or paid hours per day. Actual scheduled hours are based on the counselor’s assigned caseload and program needs.

Counselors with smaller caseloads may work fewer hours. Counselors assigned a full caseload or full‑day schedule are expected to remain at their assigned school for their entire scheduled workday and remain available to all students on their assigned caseload.

Because students depend on consistent therapeutic support, punctuality, attendance, and reliable presence during assigned school hours are essential expectations of this position. Counselors are expected to arrive on time, remain available during their assigned schedule, and communicate promptly regarding absences, emergencies, or scheduling concerns.

Counselors should remain familiar with the Loudoun County Public Schools academic calendar and are responsible for following the work schedule and school assignment communicated by Tree of Life.

School Closures, Holidays & Breaks

TDT services primarily operate according to student availability and the school calendar. Under the current school‑based TDT structure, counselors are generally not scheduled when students are unavailable due to scheduled school holidays, winter or spring breaks, weather‑related school closures, or other school closures.

TDT Counselors are hourly W-2 employees, and periods when counselors are not scheduled to work are generally unpaid unless otherwise communicated or provided under applicable company policy.

Program operations and service needs may change. If Tree of Life schedules TDT services, training, meetings, administrative responsibilities, or other program‑related work during a period when regular school‑based services are not operating, applicable schedules and expectations will be communicated to counselors.

Summer Program

Tree of Life may operate behavioral health services, including TDT, during the summer based on student participation, service authorizations, staffing, available service locations, jurisdiction, and overall program needs.

Summer work may be available based on program operations and service needs; however, summer hours, schedules, caseloads, and assignments are not guaranteed.

When summer services are offered, schedules and service locations may differ from the regular school year. Counselors should not assume that a summer assignment will occur at their regular school or involve the same students, hours, or schedule.

Tree of Life will communicate summer program opportunities, assignments, reporting locations, and schedules as the summer service structure is established.

Meetings, Supervision & Work Location

This is primarily a school‑based position, with required documentation, communication, virtual meetings, and other responsibilities completed as assigned.

There is no routine requirement for TDT Counselors to work from the Tree of Life office. However, counselors must be available to attend scheduled in‑person trainings, meetings, supervision, audits, or other program activities at the office when required. Advance notice will be provided whenever reasonably possible.

Compensation, Employment & Benefits

Compensation: Competitive hourly compensation based on credential status, qualifications, directly relevant experience, and overall fit for the position

Employment: W-2, nonexempt

Hours: Part‑time or full‑time based on assigned caseload and program needs

Schedule: Monday through Friday during assigned school hours, with general availability required between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM

Location: School‑based assignments throughout Loudoun County

Health Insurance: Health insurance is not currently offered for this position

Professional Development: TDT‑specific orientation, training, clinical supervision, and ongoing professional development

Growth Opportunities: Opportunities for increased hours and additional responsibilities may become available based on credentials, qualifications, performance, caseload growth, and program needs

Grow With Tree of Life

Tree of Life’s TDT program continues to grow, creating opportunities for counselors to strengthen their clinical skills, documentation knowledge, family engagement, school collaboration, crisis‑response skills, and experience within a structured school‑based behavioral health program.

We are looking for counselors who value consistency, professionalism, accountability, teamwork, flexibility, ethical practice, regulatory compliance, and meaningful work with children and families.

If you are passionate about helping students strengthen their emotional and behavioral functioning and want to grow with a developing school‑based behavioral health program, we would love to hear from you.

Join Tree of Life Family Services and help us support students, families, and schools throughout Loudoun County.