Behavioral Health Therapist (Licensed)

Job Description

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Arlington County's Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking a Behavioral Health Therapist (Licensed) for the Arlington County Forensic Jail Diversion Team. This is a county funded position (program began in July 2009) for an exciting restorative justice program in the Behavioral Healthcare Division of the Department of Human Services. The position will address the need to divert seriously mentally ill and co-occurring individuals from the criminal justice system at the initial junctures such as the Magistrate, bond, and at court hearings. The employee will provide mental health treatment services to clients as part of the existing Jail Diversion/Forensic Case Management Program.

This position is intended to maneuver between the court and community mental health. Court attendance is mandatory and the ability to work across systems is the mechanism to successfully navigate restorative justice efforts.

Responsibilities

Major Job Duties:

• Conducting screenings, intake evaluations, and comprehensive assessments to determine eligibility, risk level, treatment needs, and appropriate referrals for individuals participating in diversion, behavioral health, and court-based programs;
• Developing and implementing individualized treatment and service plans that reflect client needs, support recovery goals, and incorporate Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) principles and evidence-based practices;
• Providing therapy, counseling, psychosocial groups, competency restoration services, case management, and other behavioral health interventions as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team;
• Facilitating referrals and linkages to community resources and support services, consulting with partner agencies regarding client treatment needs, and coordinating services to promote successful outcomes;
• Collaborating with courts, magistrates, judges, attorneys, probation officers, and other criminal justice partners to support diversion, treatment, and case management activities, including attending court proceedings as required;
• Maintaining accurate and timely documentation within the electronic health record, tracking participant contacts and program expenditures, and preparing required reports for County, Community Services Board (CSB), and state reporting purposes;
• Assisting with crisis intervention activities, applying trauma-informed and de-escalation practices, and obtaining and maintaining required certifications, including Commonwealth of Virginia prescreener certification;
• Maintaining knowledge of community resources, behavioral health services, court processes, and applicable regulations to support effective service delivery and client referrals;
• Assisting with program administration, including generating statistical reports, responding to internal and external inquiries, supporting data reporting requirements, and maintaining compliance with County administrative requirements; and
• Participating in required meetings, trainings, professional development activities, and other duties as assigned to support program operations and departmental priorities.

Arlington County is committed to delivering client services in an effective, equitable, respectful, and trauma-informed manner. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring our clients are approached, engaged, and cared for in ways that demonstrate competency, sensitivity and awareness of factors which impact the client experience including but not limited to cultural identity, gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, religious/spiritual ascription, physical capability, cognitive and literacy levels, sexual orientation, and linguistic needs.

Qualifications

Note: Please refer to the guidelines for registration and licensure set forth by the Virginia Department of Health Professions prior to completing this application.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university in a clinical discipline such as Counseling, Psychiatric Social Work, Psychology, or other directly related clinical discipline with internships and practicum requirements involving diagnostic, treatment application of diagnostic, and treatment services

Therapists may be hired at one of the following levels:

• Behavioral Health Therapist (Licensed): Possession of one of the following professional licenses from the Virginia Department of Health Professions: LPC, LCP, LMFT, or LCSW.
• Behavioral Health Therapist (Non-VA Licensed):
  • Possess a license in a jurisdiction other than Virginia and are performing supervised assessment and evaluation, diagnostic, treatment planning, case management and counseling work while awaiting licensure from the Virginia Department of Health Professions of the following professional licenses related to a behavioral health discipline: (LPC), (LCP), (LMFT), (LCSW);
  • License must be obtained within 90 days of hire; and
  • While awaiting licensure from the State of Virginia (LPC), (LCP), (LMFT), (LCSW), must meet the criteria of a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Adult (QMHP-A) or a
  • Qualified Mental Health Professional- Child (QMHP-C) per the Virginia Board of Counseling regulations within 60 days of hire.
• Behavioral Health (Resident/Supervisee):
  • Perform supervised assessment and evaluation, diagnostic, treatment planning, case management, and counseling work as a trainee in order to obtain one of the following professional licenses related to a behavioral health discipline in the state of Virginia:
    • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
    • Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)
    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
    • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
  • Must meet the educational requirements to obtain a temporary license as a Resident in Counseling (for LPC or LMFT) or Resident in Clinical Psychology (for LCP), or register as a Supervisee in Social Work (LCSW) with the Virginia Department of Health Professions within 90 days of hire;
  • Meet the criteria of a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Adult (QMHP-A) or a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Child (QMHP-C) per the Virginia Board of Counseling regulations within 60 days of hire; and
  • Obtain appropriate licensure within three years of hire.

Desirable Qualifications: Preference may be given to applicants with one or more of the following:

• Experience in case management;
• Active Clinical License in the State of Virginia (LPC, LCP, LCSW); and/or
• Bilingual capabilities in English/Spanish.

Special Requirements

Background Check: A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It will include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You will be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

Employment restrictions: To ensure that dual relationships are avoided and that employees who are also clients do not relate to their service provider as co-professionals, employees will not be hired by the County to provide or support services to the team or program in which they are current clients:

• You cannot concurrently receive behavioral health services from Arlington County Community Service Board (CSB) programs while employed in an Arlington County CSB program (exception Crisis Intervention services).
• At least 24 months must have passed between receipt of CSB services from Arlington County and employment in an Arlington County CSB program.

Please complete each section of the application including the supplemental questions. Your responses to the supplemental questions are required because they provide us with specific information necessary to evaluate your qualifications for this position. These responses are considered part of the selection process. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please do not write "see resume" as a response to the questions.

Additional Information

Work hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Employee may be required to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays depending on programmatic need.


Although positions may be underfilled at the Non-VA Licensed or Resident/Supervisee, licensure must be earned within three years of hire. The Department of Human Services will provide supervision to staff in pursuit of licensure.

The pay ranges listed are effective July 1, 2026.

Starting salary is commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate selected.

• Behavioral Health Therapist (Licensed): $96,304.00 - $149,240.00 Annually
• Behavioral Health Therapist (Non-VA Licensed): $96,304.00 - $149,240.00 Annually
• Behavioral Health (Resident/Supervisee): $83,158.40 - $128,876.80 Annually

This position is eligible for County government employee benefits that include health, dental, vacation and sick leave, commuter transportation subsidies, tuition reimbursement, as well as a generous retirement plan.

For more information on Arlington County's generous benefits and retirement plan, click here.

Arlington County is committed to advancing diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across all our services, activities, and programs. Learn more about our commitment.

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