Job Description

Human Services Specialist II

Bilingual Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP)

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 Human Services Specialist II position.

An Overview

The Human Services Specialist II will engage youth with significant behavioral health challenges, their families, natural supports and professional team in youth-led, family-driven, culturally relevant and evidence-based services, to include intensive care coordination, supportive counseling, linkage, advocacy, collaboration and integration of services in support of treatment plans. Identified youth are often referred by human service agencies, schools or the court system and are at risk of placement outside the home (i.e. foster care, psychiatric hospital, detention, or residential treatment) or are preparing for return to the community. Position is office and community based. Embrace System of Care values in effort to prevent out of home placement. Tasks are performed in accordance with established policies and procedures.

What You Should Bring

The ideal candidate will have considerable ability to work effectively with youth who have emotional, behavioral and/or substance use problems and their families; Knowledge of the theories, principles and issues surrounding child and adolescent growth and development; Knowledge of community services including but not limited to medical, mental health, legal, social and supplemental services; Skills in advocacy and interagency collaboration; Skills in engaging, building and maintaining relationships with diverse populations; Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

The Opportunity

• Partner with families and youth to build and expand natural support systems and skills, advocate for needs, and navigate the system of services;
• Provide range of intake related services, i.e. engage families in administrative intake, provide interpretation, triage intake calls, provide regular outreach and resource linkage to families who are waiting for treatment appointments;
• Provide assessment, individual and family supportive counseling, and care during crisis under supervision;
• Facilitate High Fidelity Wraparound care coordination and provide other intensive care coordination services, i.e., coordinate and monitor efficacy of services for children in and at risk of residential treatment;
• Participate in treatment team meetings to include youth, parent/guardian, natural supports and service providers;
• Collaborate closely with other agencies including but not limited to Child Welfare, Court Service Unit, School, and FAPT;
• Provide a variety of auxiliary services in support of service plan, i.e., attend psychiatric appointments with family, supervise therapeutic visits between parent and child, transport youths and families when other resources are not available, obtain records in support of treatment plan, and provide testimony in court;
• Provide hospital discharge planning services and Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) case support;
• Maintain electronic medical records in accordance with accreditation body, Department policies, licensing and Medicaid regulations;
• Follow department policies and procedures, including those related to productivity expectations, client payment issues and training;
• Perform related work as required.

About the Department

The Center for Children and Families (CCF) provides programs and services for Behavioral Health, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, Child Welfare & Child Protective Services, Early Childhood and Youth Development. CCF provides compassionate, collaborative, and effective person and family-centered services based on best practices. Our teams support self-determination, safety, recovery and resiliency for Alexandria children and all residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse disorders.

About the Division

Child and Family Behavioral Health Services (CFBHS) commits to be a trauma-informed and equitable service delivery system that creates the conditions for youth and families to thrive. They support youth, families, each other, and partners to be their best possible selves as they respond to community needs, meet regulatory requirements, and maximize revenue. The following values are imbedded in the work of CFBHS: youth and family centered; fair and equitable; individualized and developmentally appropriate; trauma responsive; research-based, data-driven and outcome-focused; strengths-based; collaborative/team-based; community-based; natural supports; and unconditional care. Internally CFBHS prioritizes use of a racial equity lens, staff wellness, integration, transparency and accountability, efficient access, professional development, and advancement.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

Bachelor\'s Degree in psychology, social services, public health, guidance, or a related field; three years of experience in the provision of mental health and/or substance abuse treatment services, including some experience at the level of Caseworker; 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.

Preferred Qualifications

Ability to work some evenings and occasional weekends; Meet criteria to become a Qualified Mental Health Professional-Child (QMHP-C) and Qualified Mental Health Professional - Adult (QMHP-A) for billing purposes; this includes at least a bachelor\'s degree in a human services field or in special education from an accredited college with at least one year of clinical experience with children and adolescents and at least one year of clinical experience with adults; and Bilingual (English/Spanish) to meet the needs of population served; At least two years of experience in a mental health or substance abuse setting working with youth with serious behavioral health challenges and their families; At least one year of experience providing case management services such as coordination of services, supportive counseling, assessment and advocacy; At least one year of experience engaging community resources, including but not limited to medical, mental health, legal, educational social and supplemental services; One year of experience practicing System of Care principles - family driven, youth guided, individualized and community based, culturally & linguistically competent & evidence-based: and Experience with electronic health records.

Notes

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, variable schedule - some evenings

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