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Backpack Healthcare
Fairfax, Virginia

School Based Mental Health Therapist -Fairfax County

Counselor / TherapistPart-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 37m ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • School Based Mental Health Therapist
  • Location: Fairfax County, VA
  • License Requirements: LCSW-C/Supervisee in Social Work/LPC/LPC-R
  • Compensation: Fee for Service
  • Schedule: Part-Time/Full-Time (7am-4pm)

Who We Are

We all walk around with an invisible backpack. It carries our emotional experiences, traumas, and unresolved feelings. Similar to a physical backpack, it can become heavy and burdensome when filled with too many items - We created Backpack Healthcare to help lighten the load.

At Backpack Healthcare, we’re re-imagining mental health care for children, teens, and young adults. As a clinician-led, minority-owned company, our mission is simple: when clinicians thrive, kids thrive.

At Backpack Healthcare, we’re not just offering a job—we’re offering purpose, flexibility, and the chance to change lives every day. If you’re ready to be part of a collaborative, empowering, and innovative mental health movement, join our team and make a real impact by breaking barriers and healing young minds.

What You’ll Do

As a School Based Mental Health Therapist, you'll serve as a trusted mental health professional for students across elementary, middle, and high school settings.

Responsibilities Include

  • Delivering on-site, school-based therapy services to students during school hours
  • Offering telehealth sessions (optional) to supplement caseload or allow for early onboarding
  • Conducting mental health assessments and developing individualized treatment plans
  • Collaborating with school staff, families, and the Backpack clinical team
  • Maintaining timely and accurate documentation in the EHR
  • Participating in supervision (if pre-licensed) and team case consults

What We Are Looking For

  • A Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, or a related field
  • Active Virginia license: LCSW-C/Supervisee in Social Work/LPC/LPC-R
  • Experience working with youth in schools, outpatient, or virtual settings
  • Strong clinical skills in individual and family therapy
  • Cultural competence and a trauma-informed care approach
  • Passion for making mental health more accessible to kids and teens

How We Support You

  • Growth & Education – CEU reimbursement, clinical supervision, and advancement opportunities
  • Supportive & Fun Team Culture – Be apart of a community of clinicians & operators
  • Competitive Benefits
  • Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
  • PTO
  • Company Paid Holidays
  • 401(k) + 3% Company Match

Employee Assistance Program

Backpack Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that the strength of our care depends on the diversity and well-being of our team.

We celebrate differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, and other traits that make each person unique.

We welcome and encourage diverse candidates to apply for any position for which they are qualified and to bring their unique perspectives, experiences, and talents to our team.

Backpack Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that the strength of our care depends on the diversity and well-being of our team.

We celebrate differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, and other traits that make each person unique.

We welcome and encourage diverse candidates to apply for any position for which they are qualified and to bring their unique perspectives, experiences, and talents to our team.

Key Responsibilities

The therapist will deliver on-site mental health services to students in elementary, middle, and high school settings. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, and collaborating with school staff and families.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, or a related field and possess an active Virginia license (LCSW-C, Supervisee in Social Work, LPC, or LPC-R). Experience working with youth in school, outpatient, or virtual settings is required.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Mental health therapyIndividual therapyClinical assessmentTreatment planningCase consultationCrisis interventionSchool-based counseling

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 42% are remote, 30% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedMental Health Therapy median $74k (middle half $63k–$79k)19 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost of livingVirginia index 101.1US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in Virginia273 active7,901 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 42% remote · 30% no call · 66% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedVirginia Counselor listings: 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $2k) · 11% offer loan repayment432 active listings, Oct 2026
New Mental Health Therapy listings2,524 in the last 30 days1,708 the 30 days before (+48%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

50 jobs · 41 employers
13
<$70k
13
$70k-85k
10
$85k-100k
9
$100k-115k
5
$115k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

41 jobs
401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
32% this job
Loan repayment
17%
Sign-on bonus
15%
PSLF eligible
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

LifeStance Health · Brookfield, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 4.8
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,870 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Backpack Healthcare logo

About Backpack Healthcare

Mental Health Care
Elkridge, Maryland
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

CEU reimbursement
Clinical supervision
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
PTO
Company Paid Holidays
401(k) + 3% Company Match
Employee Assistance Program

Living in Fairfax

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$683k
Typical market rent
$2,456/mo
Residents’ average commute
28 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.9
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.