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Behavioral Health Specialist II - Entry, Assessment, & Referral

Fairfax County

FAIRFAX (HH12), VAFull-time$74–129K/yrPosted 3 days agoStill listed 3 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$74–129K/yr
Location
FAIRFAX (HH12), VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Job overview

The Behavioral Health Specialist II works on Fairfax County’s Entry and Referral clinical assessment team, serving adults and youth seeking services for substance use disorders, serious mental illness, co-occurring disorders, and related needs. The specialist conducts triage and assessments, connects individuals with services and community resources, and coordinates care. The role also includes outreach, documentation, crisis support, and collaboration with clients, colleagues, and community partners.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Behavioral Health Services, nice to haveEvidence-Based Treatment, nice to havePsychiatric Terminology, nice to haveAssessment, nice to haveSocial History Gathering, nice to haveInterviewing, nice to haveDiagnosis and Treatment Planning, nice to haveRisk Assessment, nice to haveCaseload Management, nice to haveRapport Building, nice to haveCommunication, nice to haveRecordkeeping, nice to haveReport Preparation, nice to haveComputer Literacy, nice to haveElectronic Health Records, nice to haveSpreadsheets, nice to haveDatabases, nice to haveWalking, nice to haveStanding, nice to haveBending, nice to haveLifting, nice to haveKeyboarding, nice to have

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Psychology or Related, requiredBachelor's Plus QMHP or CSAC, requiredMaster's in Psychology or Related, required1500 Clinical Experience Hours, required500 Clinical Experience Hours, requiredMental Health Experience, nice to haveCommunity-Based Treatment Experience, nice to haveDiverse Population Communication Experience, nice to haveCriminal Background Check, requiredCPS Registry Check, requiredSanction Screening, requiredTB Screening, required

Benefits

Tuition Assistance

Full job description

This position works within our Entry and Referral clinical assessment team. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a multidisciplinary and multicultural team serving adults and youth seeking services for substance use disorders, serious mental illness, and co-occurring disorders, including individuals with developmental disabilities and/or physical illnesses.

Serves as an initial point of contact for individuals seeking CSB services. Must be able to complete phone and in-person triage screenings, identify service needs, and connect individuals with appropriate CSB and/or community resources. The position assesses individuals’ needs, including those who are court-ordered, and provides information regarding registration, screening, and assessment processes.

Provides professional and clinically appropriate engagement to culturally and socio-economically diverse clients, including a large Latinx population. Duties include triage, outreach, collateral contacts with community partners, and case coordination throughout various phases of clinical care.

Applicant must be computer literate and familiar with electronic health records, spreadsheets, and databases. Timely electronic documentation that meets state, local, and federal performance contract expectations is essential. A strong commitment to program development and an approach of "nothing is impossible" are required.

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 Spanish or 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 Clinical Nurse Specialist.
  • 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."(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.)

  • Conducts independent behavioral health intakes and assessments;
  • Collaborates with service professionals inside and outside of the Community Services Board;
  • Adapts and modifies treatment interventions as indicated;
  • Provides case management, outreach and engagement services as needed;
  • Maintains all electronic health records according to federal, state and department regulations, ensuring that records of clients on their caseload are complete, accurate and comprehensive;
  • Advocates on behalf of clients regarding rights and needed services;
  • Develops and maintains cooperative relationships with representatives of community groups and public and private agencies;
  • Provides crisis stabilization and crisis management with support and supervision as needed;
  • Provides ongoing risk assessments for dangerousness to self and others with support and supervision as needed;
  • Provides entry, navigation and/or referral services for individuals, families and other concerned persons;
  • Prepares and administers behavioral health educational curricula;
  • Testifies in court to regarding client's services, progress and recommendations as required.

(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 behavioral health services and social development of the individual;
  • Knowledge of evidence based behavioral health treatment methods;
  • Knowledge of psychological, physiological and psychiatric terminology, theories and practices;
  • Knowledge of assessment processes, methods of gathering social history and interviewing techniques;
  • Knowledge of existing public and private agencies and community resources;
  • Ability to formulate diagnoses and appropriate treatment plan;
  • Ability to perform behavioral health and risk assessments and apply evidence based/informed treatment approaches/modalities;
  • Ability to manage a caseload;
  • Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective relationships with clients;
  • Ability to maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, public and private
  • organizations, community groups, and the general public;
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
  • Ability to maintain records and prepare reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, nursing, counseling, or a related field, plus 1,500 hours of clinical experience; OR a bachelor’s degree and a valid Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) certification or Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) certification plus 1,500 hours of clinical experience; OR a master’s degree in psychology, social work, nursing, counseling, or a related field plus 500 hours of clinical experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED: None

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a Child Protective Services Registry 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, families, and community members with mental health, substance use, and developmental concerns.

  • Experience working in a community-based treatment program.
  • Experience with effectively communicating with diverse bilingual/multi-lingual populations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to walk, stand, bend and carry, up to 10 pounds of case files. Ability to operate desktop computer and use a keyboard. Ability to access, input, and retrieve computer data. 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. [email protected] EEO/AA/TTY.

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How this job compares

Set against the 438 open Mental Health jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 10, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$74–129K/yr
  • US median$97–140K/yr199 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $101K, is 17% below the US median midpoint ($122K) — in the middle half of Mental Health salary ranges across the US.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 14 open Mental Health jobs in Virginia and 438 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most across the US
Experience
Mental Health postings that state a minimum ask for 2 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 1 to 3 years (195 postings).
Education
221 of the 438 open Mental Health jobs (50%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 10, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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