Job Description

Posting number: 26-01380

Department: Community Services Board

Job classification: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST I

Posting type: Open

Categories: Mental Health, Human Services

Summary

Make a meaningful difference where it matters most.

This position works as a compassionate and dedicated behavioral health specialist as a part of our Community Residential Services Division on the Housing Support Team.

In this role, you will provide hands-on support and engagement services to adults with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring conditions, helping individuals maintain stable housing and build the skills needed to live as independently as possible in the community.

What You’ll Do

As a Behavioral Health Specialist I, you will play an important role in supporting individuals in Permanent Supportive Housing and other community-based housing settings. Your work will include:

• Build meaningful relationships with individuals through consistent engagement, support, and encouragement.
• Provide counseling, direct observation, and individualized assistance to support residents' stability and well-being.
• Assist individuals with activities of daily living and independent living skills that may be barriers to maintaining housing.
• Provide coaching and encouragement related to household cleanliness, organization, and appropriate reporting of maintenance or site concerns.
• Encourage residents to work directly with housing providers and landlords to address financial concerns, lease requirements, and landlord/tenant issues.
• Assist with and/or transport residents to appointments and community-based services when appropriate.
• Monitor and respond to program needs, promptly notifying the Mental Health Supervisor or designee of emergencies and major incidents involving program participants.
• Review client information and the Electronic Health Record (EHR) for updates related to clinical needs and services.
• Complete timely and accurate progress notes and documentation in the EHR in accordance with agency guidelines.
• Maintain accurate time and attendance records and other required program documentation.

Why Join CSB?

This is more than a behavioral health position—it is an opportunity to help individuals remain housed, strengthen their independence, and achieve greater stability in their lives.

If you are someone who is patient, compassionate, resourceful, and motivated by helping others succeed in the community, we invite you to apply and become part of the Fairfax-Falls Church CSB team.

Join us in supporting housing stability, independence, and recovery—one person at a time.

Here are some of the benefits CSB employees enjoy:

• Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home — including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others. We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity. A foreign language skills stipend of up to $1600/year (full-time) may be given for qualified bi-lingual employees.
• In addition, to recognize and reinforce the importance of professional development and enhance future recruitment of licensed professionals, if approved, the licensure supervisors will receive a stipend of $1,500 paid out biweekly over a 12-month period whether for one or more Department of Health licensure candidates.
• License/Certification Reimbursement - Reimbursement for job related licenses and/or certifications once per year.
• To find out more about the benefits of working with Fairfax County Government, please visit the CSB Careers Page.

Examples of duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

• Functions as an active member of a treatment team;
• Functions as a co-leader in groups;
• Assists with data gathering for needs assessment;
• Contributes to the development of individual service plans, with consideration given to the nature and severity of the behavioral health and psychosocial needs, individual strengths and preferences, and support systems;
• Makes interventions as outlined in the service plan;
• Brings forward timely information on individuals' progress and evolving needs to the treatment team;
• Provides individual supportive counseling and skill-building involving specific concerns;
• Conducts admission and orientation into the program/services;
• Provides individual and group psycho-educational sessions for clients, family members, and significant others;
• Maintains and updates information on community resources for individuals, families, and other concerned persons;
• Provides skill building to clients in developing and practicing daily living, recovery, and self-advocacy skills;
• Observes client behavior and provides de-escalation techniques;
• Maintains client records in accordance with state and department regulations;
• Maintains all appropriate program logs and information;
• Provides program coverage and supervises program activities;
• Transports and accompanies individuals to various appointments.

Qualifications

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

• Knowledge of the principles, theories, and methods of the psychological and social development of individuals;
• Knowledge of substance use disorders and the physiological, psychological and social impacts;
• Knowledge of public and private community based resources;
• Knowledge of social history development and interviewing and treatment techniques appropriate for individuals with substance use and/or mental illness/ serious emotional disturbance (SED);
• Ability to recognize behavioral symptoms of mental illness/ serious emotional disturbance (SED) and substance use, and developmental disabilities;
• Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective relationships with clients;
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and the general public;
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Ability to maintain records and prepare reports;
• Ability to assist with initial screening of the severity of individuals' substance use/mental health symptoms, treatment, and support needs.

Supplemental information

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, sociology, nursing, public health or a related field;

OR a bachelor’s degree and a valid Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) or Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) certification.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

Valid motor vehicle driver's license with fewer than six demerit points (or the equivalent in another state) and maintained throughout employment with CSB.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a Child Protective Services Registry check, a driving record check, and sanction screening to the satisfaction of the employer. A TB screening upon hire and annually thereafter.

This position is emergency/essential services personnel. (Required to report for duty during inclement weather and/or other emergencies.)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• One or more years of post-degree experience working with adults who suffer from serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders in an intensive treatment group home, hospital emergency department or psychiatric unit, community-based behavioral emergency services, and/or crisis stabilization setting.
• Certified by the Virginia Board of Counseling as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to climb stairs, walk, stand, bend, and independently drive agency vehicles as needed to carry out job duties. Ability to lift and carry up to 15lbs, observe client behavior/appearance, review and write progress notes in Electronic Health Record (EHR) and staff log. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel Interview and may include a practical exercise.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.

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