Senior Therapist - Adult Outpatient Therapy Team

City of Alexandria
Alexandria, VA


Senior Therapist – Adult Outpatient Therapy Team


The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Senior Therapistposition.


An Overview

This position qualifies for a $3,000 signing bonus.The Senior Therapist isunder the guidance and assistance of the assigned supervisor, clinician will provide individual and group psychotherapy services to adults with substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders.


What You Should Bring

The ideal candidate should have thorough knowledge of individual and group behavior including thorough knowledge of treatment issues related to psychiatric problems, dual-diagnosis, and chemical dependency; good knowledge of psychopharmacology, psychiatric disorders, alcoholism/drug addiction, juvenile delinquency, and/or elderly and aging; ability to work successfully with a variety of consumers; ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing with other professionals and with the public.


The Opportunity

  • Provides 940 hours annually of services or the equivalent in number of total services provided. Serves 60 unduplicated clients a year.
  • Provide Individual and group psychotherapy services
  • Participates in professional development opportunities that are provided internally to members of the Outpatient Therapy Team. Ex DBT consultation team and the experiential psychodynamic workgroup
  • Provides limited care coordination services or refers to have case management needs addressed. Completes referrals for services within CSB or other community providers as needed.
  • Formulates diagnoses, creates person centered collaborative treatment plans, completes quarterly reviews, annual reviews, and all other documentation in compliance with timeliness and content measures.
  • Provides emergency and crisis intervention services as needed
  • Prepares reports for court proceedings, represents the Department
  • Initiates internal CSB and community referrals as needed
  • Participates in significant staff development outside offers within our CSB
  • Provides backup support for Emergency Services or Intake (in extremely rare circumstances)
  • Maintains clinical records in accordance with State, City, Departmental, MCO (payers), and Federal compliance requirements
  • Continually assesses for medical necessity of services to meet MCO requirements.
  • Prepare and present cases to the team for peer consult at least 4X a year. Provide peers feedback when they are presenting
  • Prepare and present for weekly 1:1 clinical supervision with direct supervisor
  • Performs related work as assigned


About the Department

The Center for Adult Services (CAS) provides programs and services in Aging; Adult Protective Services; Clinical & Emergency Services; and Community & Residential Support Services for seniors and for persons with mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance use disorders. CAS provides compassionate and effective person-centered services based on best practices. Our teams support self-determination, safety and recovery for Alexandria residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance use disorders.

Possession of Masters degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Education or related field; at least two years of post-graduate work experience in providing direct clinical services to consumers having one or more substance abuse, psychiatric, and emotional disorders; and licensure or license eligible (has completed all required education and supervision as required by applicable board) as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP) or Clinical Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia at the time of appointment; if license eligible, the employee must obtain Virginia licensure at the first available opportunity, but no later than one year after appointment; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employees must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence if they are in a position with driving responsibilities.

Licensed in the State of Virginia with at least three years of experience providing psychotherapy services (group and individual). Candidates who have been fully licensed for three years are preferred. Provided direct clinical services to individuals experiencing substance use, mental health, and/or co-occurring disorders. At least one year of employment in a community mental health clinic working with individuals with SMI (serious mental illness) and chronic illness. Completed professional development in evidence-based psychotherapy modalities. Familiarity with documentation compliance requirements for MCOs, State licensing, DBHDS, and federal guidelines within the Credible EHR. Bilingual.

This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to: FBI/Federal Records Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; education/certifications; and driver’s license.


Schedule: Monday through Friday 9:00am – 5:30pm with availability to provide one later evening if client need arises.

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