Posting number: FY2026-01536
Department: Behavioral Healthcare Services
Job classification: Clinical Therapist I Same Day Access
Posting type: Open
Categories: Mental Health, Miscellaneous, Human Services
Under general supervision, this position provides professional clinical services to individuals and families through assessment and therapy, and crisis intervention. Coordinates and provides consultative services in conjunction with other community agencies. Reports to Program Administrator of Clinical Support Services.
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; conducts mental health outpatient intake assessments and diagnostic evaluations; and coordinates and provides consultative services in conjunction with other community agencies and in-patient evaluations to determine status of stabilization and duration of stay, as needed.
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 System Transformation Excellence and Performance Virginia (STEP-VA) regulations and procedures.
Conducts intake evaluations, emergency interventions and clinical assessments; assesses disposition of individuals to determine level of intervention and/or services requests.
Conducts crisis intervention for consumers; assess disposition of consumers to determine level of intervention required and documents consumer intervention needs; conducts individual, group, and family therapy; serves as primary therapist to individuals assigned to caseload; and implements and maintains rules regarding consumer safety.
Consults with Clinical Manager, Clinical Supervisor and Psychiatrist regarding diagnosis and treatment; adjusts treatment plans as needed.
Serves as liaison to staff members to discuss consumer’s’ progress and care; monitors, documents, maintains and adjusts consumer treatment plans, records, and progress; 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 of Job: Has considerable 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. Has some experience with conducting intake, assessment and clinical diagnosis. 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 exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in analyzing and applying standards to a variety of situations. Is able to exercise considerable discretion in handling confidential files. 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 within department and division, and with co- workers 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 meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city 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 city 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 completion of work with a minimum 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 research 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 are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with city policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments to project a good BHS. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Emphasizes the importance of maintain a positive image in the 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, deadlines and events.
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 workplace.
Clinical Services - Knowledge of the principles of diagnosis and treatment, ability to identify signs and symptoms of mental illness, and ability to perform risk assessment.
Mental Health Services- Thorough knowledge of the principles, and methodologies of providing group mental health, intellectual disability or substance abuse treatment services.
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to understand, analyze, and evaluate complex situation and research information to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to the situation.
Judgment/Decision Making -- Evaluating the best method of research and then exercising appropriate judgment in establishing priorities and resolving complex matters. Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Interpersonal Relationships – Develops and maintains cooperative and professional relationships with customers, employees, managers, and representatives from other departments and organizations.
Computer Skills – Utilizes a personal computer with word processing, spreadsheet and related software with reasonable speed and accuracy.
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. .
Must be licensed eligible for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with the ability to obtain licensure within one (1) year of hire.
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 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.
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 was founded in 1752 and incorporated by the Virginia General Assembly in 1858. Over 250 years old, the city is home to one of the world's greatest natural harbors, situated on the James and Elizabeth Rivers, which empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Portsmouth, with a land area of approximately 33 square miles and a population of 96,066, is located in the heart of the Hampton Roads Region. It is bordered by Chesapeake and Suffolk, respectively, to the south and west and the City of Norfolk to the east.
The City of Portsmouth boasts 75.8 miles of shoreline and is home to Mile Marker Zero of the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway, which stretches from Maine to Florida. Part of one of the world’s largest natural harbors, Portsmouth is just 18 miles from the open sea. Portsmouth's location on navigable waterways has been a dominant force in the City’s rich maritime history and economy. Its location on the over 40-feet-deep Hampton Roads shipping channel and the presence of both the CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads allows Portsmouth to support national and international port commerce activities and the military presence in the region.
Portsmouth derives its governing authority from a charter granted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The City's governing body is the City Council, which formulates policies for the administration of the City. The City's charter provides for a Council-Manager form of government.
