Behavioral Health Specialist I - Assertive Community Treatment

Behavioral Health Specialist I - Assertive Community Treatment

Salary

$63,732.03 - $111,531.06 Annually

Location

ANNANDALE HUMAN SERVICE CENTER, 7611 LITTLE RIVER TURNPIKE, ANNANDALE VA 22003 (KH17), VA

Job Type

FT Hourly W BN

Job Number

26-01384

Department

Community Services Board

Opening Date

09/05/2026

Closing Date

9/18/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

S22

Posting Type

Open to General Public

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Announcement

Help People Find More Than Housing-Help Them Build a Foundation for Recovery.

The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) is seeking a compassionate, motivated, and recovery-oriented housing specialist to join our Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team.

This is an opportunity to do meaningful, community-based work with individuals living with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders, including individuals experiencing homelessness, housing instability, psychiatric disabilities, and significant barriers to recovery.

As a housing specialist, you will help individuals find and maintain safe, stable housing while building the skills, connections, and supports needed to thrive in the community.

About the Role

The housing specialist is an integral member of the ACT interdisciplinary team, providing intensive outreach, rehabilitation, housing support, and case management services.

Rather than limiting services to an office setting, you will meet individuals where they are and where support is needed most. Your work may take you to private homes, shelters, hospitals, jails, community programs, drop-in centers, public spaces, and other community settings.

You will partner with individuals to identify their goals, overcome barriers, connect with resources, and take meaningful steps toward housing stability, recovery, and greater independence.

What Youll Do

In this role, you will:

• Help individuals find and maintain housing by identifying affordable housing opportunities and supporting the housing process.
• Build relationships and engage individuals who may be difficult to reach or connect with traditional services.
• Provide rehabilitation and case management services in community and non-traditional settings.
• Assist individuals with accessing benefits, identification documents, healthcare, and essential community resources.
• Coordinate services with landlords, shelters, hospitals, jails, nonprofit organizations, and community providers.
• Teach and reinforce independent living, daily living, and community integration skills.
• Support individuals in developing recovery plans, managing symptoms, and achieving personal wellness goals.
• Participate in crisis intervention and stabilization when needed.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and thorough documentation in the electronic health record (EHR).
• Participate in ACT team meetings, treatment planning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and rotating program coverage.

What Youll Bring

We are looking for someone who is passionate about helping people achieve stability and independence and who approaches each individual with respect, compassion, and a belief in their potential for recovery.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders.
• Have experience in housing services, homelessness services, case management, community behavioral health, or a related field.
• Be comfortable providing services independently in community and outreach settings.
• Use trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and person-centered approaches.
• Demonstrate strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and engagement skills.
• Be adaptable, resilient, and able to effectively manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Be committed to working collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Why Join the ACT Team?

Every day brings an opportunity to make a difference. As a Housing Specialist, youll be more than a service provider-youll be a partner, advocate, resource connector, and source of support for individuals working toward a more stable and independent life.

If youre passionate about housing stability, recovery, community integration, and helping people achieve their goals, we invite you to bring your skills and compassion to the Fairfax-Falls Church CSB ACT Team.

Join us in helping individuals move from housing instability toward 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.
• The CSB provides clinical supervision for employees who are registered as licensed eligible mental health in one of the following areas: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner or Licensed Nurse Practitioner.
• 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.

Note: To learn more about careers that make a difference, watch our video "CSB Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Providing Care."

Illustrative 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.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(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.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelors 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:

• CPR certification, within 90 days of appointment and maintained throughout CSB employment;
• MANDT Certifications within three (3) months of appointment and annually thereafter;
• Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) - within 1 month of hire
• Medication Administration Assistance (VA) - within 3 months of hire
• Valid Motor Vehicle Drivers 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:

• Experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders
• Experience with housing services, case management, homelessness services, or community behavioral health
• Experience utilizing trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and person-centered approaches

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to drive a car and conduct extensive community outreach activities on foot in a variety of environmental conditions and to work in non-traditional settings including tent encampments, heavily wooded areas, abandoned buildings, shelters, streets, hospitals, and jails. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with clients, families, community stakeholders, and coworkers and to observe and report client appearance, functioning, and behavior. Ability to sit, stand, bend, walk, and transport supplies or client belongings as needed. Ability to make clinical observations and interventions in community settings and operate electronic health record systems and standard office equipment. 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.

#LI-AP1

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click here for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid

For additional details please visit the Countys benefits webpage.

Non-Merit Positions

• Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Flexible Spending Program

• Deferred Compensation

• Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered that you have a degree in the previous question, please indicate your area of study below. If you do not have a degree, please select "not applicable."

• Psychology
• Social work
• Counseling
• Nursing
• Public health
• Sociology
• Community health
• Health science
• Human services
• Behavioral sciences
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not applicable

03

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list the discipline of your degree. If this question does not pertain to you or you do not possess a degree, enter "N/A".

04

Are you certified in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) or as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)? Please list certifications on your application also. Details regarding QMHP can be found on https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/counseling_QMHP.htm. Details regarding CSAC certification can be found on https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Counseling/ApplicantResources/CSACapplicationinfo/.

• Yes, QMHP
• Yes, CSAC
• No
• No, but eligible

05

Do you currently possess a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

06

How many full-time equivalent years of clinical experience do you have working directly with individuals with severe and chronic mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders? (Includes supervised internships, practicums and field experience)

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

07

Which of the following tasks have you performed with individuals who have a serious mental illness or co-occurring disorder? (Check all that apply)

• Performed a full assessment of an individuals mental health history, symptoms, daily living skills, history of mental health treatment, diagnoses, needs and strengths.
• Performed a full assessment of a consumers substance use or abuse, including history of use, treatment and legal history.
• Assisted an individual in applying for housing programs, entitlements, or pursue vocational interests.
• Did supportive counseling with individuals with serious mental illness/co-occurring disorders.
• Worked with individuals from diverse ethnic and racial groups.
• Worked with staff at jails, shelters, and/or hospitals to coordinate care.
• None of the above

08

Do you have experience providing outreach, engagement, or ongoing services in non-traditional settings such as jails, hospitals, shelters, streets, job sites, or clients' homes?

• Yes
• No

09

How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have providing services to homeless individuals who are mentally ill?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

10

Are you familiar with the Housing First and Permanent Supported Housing models?

• Yes
• No

11

Are you familiar with the Assertive Community Treatment model?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer Fairfax County

Address 12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone 703-324-3311

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm