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Backpack Healthcare
Fairfax, Virginia

School Based Mental Health Therapist -Fairfax County

CounselorFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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Posted 1h 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. An active Virginia license such as LCSW-C, Supervisee in Social Work, LPC, or LPC-R is required.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Mental health therapyIndividual therapyClinical assessmentTreatment planningEHR managementCase consultationCrisis interventionYouth counseling

Counselor Career Context

Backpack Healthcare holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 74/100, 26 active listings.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 20% have no call, 60% 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).

Top Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 39 employers

14
<$80k
9
$80k-100k
13
$100k-120k
14
$120k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks38 jobs

401k / retirement match
97% this job
CME allowance
47% this job
Sign-on bonus
26%
Loan repayment
21%
PSLF eligible
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Virtual School Based CounselorContract

Lets Therapy · Springfield, Pennsylvania

$66 per hour
#2

Remote Licensed Professional Counselor-VirginiaContract

Adjuvant Behavior Health · Virginia Beach, Virginia

$66/hr
#3

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Bilingual)

$65/hr
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.2this job 1.5
Below most Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,095 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Fairfax

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$687k
Typical market rent
$2,472/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 (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 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.

Backpack Healthcare logo

About Backpack Healthcare

Mental Health Care
Elkridge, Maryland
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

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