OT Therapist III

Occupational TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$87k-$110k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Title: OT Therapist III

State Role Title: Therapist III

Hiring Range: $87,000 to $110,000

Pay Band: 5

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Western State Hospital

Agency Website: dbhds.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Location: Western State Hospital

103 Valley Center Drive, Staunton, VA 24401.

Who We Are

Western State Hospital, part of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), has been a leader in psychiatric treatment since

1828. WSH is a 302-bed Joint Commission/CMS-accredited psychiatric facility located in the scenic Shenandoah Valley. Just 30 minutes from vibrant university towns, our hospital serves adults with serious mental health needs and is nationally recognized for our Psychosocial Rehabilitation “Learning” programs.

WSH provides a modern clinical setting and a therapeutic environment for patients, supported by highly qualified staff. Employees also enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Shenandoah Valley, with nearby cities such as Charlottesville and Harrisonburg offering dining, entertainment, and outdoor activities, making Staunton an attractive place to live and work.

Position Overview

Western State Hospital is seeking a OT Therapist III to plan and deliver occupational therapy treatment utilizing comprehensive and specialized approaches and provide clinical guidance to rehabilitative staff.

Key Responsibilities

  • Ensure the requirements of the performance planning and evaluation system are met and evaluations are completed by established deadlines with proper documentation
  • Performance issues are addressed and documented as they occur
  • Provide 18-20 hours of patient contact per week in OT programs and assessments
  • Complete documentation according to facility and department guidelines and satisfies JCAHO and HCFA standards
  • Provide assigned affiliating occupational therapy students with schedules, assignments and supervision
  • Assist in design and implementation of new programs and assessments as needed

Benefits Include

  • health, vision, and dental insurance
  • life insurance
  • paid time off
  • sick time
  • family/personal time
  • retirement with cash match

Minimum Qualifications

  • Graduation from a program in occupational therapy that is accredited by the American Medical Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association, as specified by Virginia code 54.1-2956.3
  • Certification by Board of Medicine to practice occupational therapy
  • Certified by National Board for Certification for Occupational Therapy as an occupational therapist registered (OTR); or eligible for these (must be obtained within 6 months from hire date)

Additional Considerations

  • Extensive experience as a staff occupational therapist
  • Bilingual
  • Veteran or veteran spouse

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Application Requirements: Applications and résumés for this position are accepted electronically through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Electronic Recruitment System only. Interview decisions will be based solely on the information provided in your electronic application and/or résumé. Please ensure you clearly and specifically detail all relevant work experience; we will not make assumptions about your qualifications.

Background Investigation: All applicants are subject to an extensive background investigation and a pre-employment drug screening. This investigation may include fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI), local agency checks, Department of Social Services/Child Protective Services checks, employment verification, and verification of education relevant to the position.

Under Virginia Code §§ 37.2-314 and 37.2-408.1, the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) cannot employ or utilize as volunteers, individuals convicted of specific ("barrier") crimes or those with pending "barrier" charges.

Reasonable Accommodations: Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance or accommodation, please notify Human Resources at (540) 332-8300 during business hours (8:00 a. m. to 5:00 p. m.).

Equal Opportunity

The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to conducting all aspects of human resource management without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.* There shall be no retaliation against anyone making allegations of violations of this policy.

Veteran Preference: DBHDS is a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified employer and provides hiring preference to qualified veterans and service members. We strongly encourage veterans, active members of the Virginia National Guard, and U.S. Military Reserve members to apply to the state application and respond accordingly.

Contact Information

Name: Samantha Leep

Phone: 540-332-8306

Email: samantha.leep@dbhds.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process.

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI).

Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Requirements

Candidates must have graduated from an accredited occupational therapy program and hold certification by the Board of Medicine. Registration with the National Board for Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is required or must be obtained within six months of hire.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient assessmentClinical supervisionJCAHO complianceProgram designPerformance evaluation

Mental Health Therapy — Occupational Therapist Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$99k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $97k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 44% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

What does the Mental Health Therapy market look like in Virginia?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$87k–$110kMental Health Therapy median $80k (middle half $66k–$85k)14 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$97k in purchasing powerVirginia index 101.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Work settingon-sitepeers: 2% remote · 44% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
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 Occupational Therapist Jobs

30 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

30 jobs · 18 employers
8
<$95k
15
$95k-110k
0
$110k-125k
3
$130k
4
$140k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

30 jobs · 18 employers
401k / retirement match
93%
CME allowance
50%
Sign-on bonus
43%
Loan repayment
30%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist - Pediatric

Sentara Health · Virginia Beach, Virginia

$96k-$141k
#2

Occupational Therapist- Acute Care

Sentara Health · Virginia Beach, Virginia

$96k-$141k
#3

Occupational Therapist Matawan NJ

$140k
#4

Occupational Therapist Marlboro NJ

$140k
+ 28 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Occupational Therapy) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 65 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

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About Virginia Information Technologies Agency

IT Services and IT Consulting
Richmond, VA
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health, vision, and dental insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Sick time
Family/personal time
Retirement with cash match

Living in Staunton

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$322k≈ 3.7× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,473/mo≈ 20% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
21 min
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.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.