Therapist, Mental Health/Substance Abuse Outpatient

CounselorIncludes callFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Provides direct therapeutic treatment services to mentally ill, emotionally disturbed, intellectually disabled and substance abusing individuals. Work is performed under general supervision and is guided by agency policies and procedures, quality assurance, public and private payor guidelines, diagnostic guidelines and professional practices and including ethical standards related to client interactions, state and federal licensure and accreditation regulations and guidelines.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Conducts intake interviews, makes assessments and develops diag­nosis and treatment plans.
  • Interviews individuals and provides problem‑solving and sup­portive therapy.
  • Provides crisis intervention services and risk assessments.
  • Inputs psychological data to agency staff for individual placements, care and treatment.
  • Consults with agency treatment staff and representatives of other agencies or programs; makes referrals, and provides and coordinates individual case management services.
  • Conducts group, individual and family therapy sessions including substance abuse group therapy.
  • Prepares lesson plan and training materials for education­al/treatment programming.
  • Prepares and maintains case documentation including treatment plans, progress notes and periodic assessments.
  • Provides expert testimony in court and legal proceedings.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of individual, family and group treatment relating to mentally ill, intellectually disabled, substance abusive, and behavioral/emotional disordered population, including counseling, therapeutic modalities and techniques related to clinical casework; thorough knowledge of the medical providers, social services and other agencies and community organizations providing services to the individual population; considerable knowledge of individual manage­ment guidelines for Virginia; considerable knowledge of the laws and legal procedures relating to hospital admission; considerable knowledge of social casework management, including need assessment and supportive level counseling.

Ability to establish and maintain rapport with the individual population; ability to conduct effective interviews, observe, assess and record individual behaviors and functioning and develop treatment and service plans; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff of other private and public agencies and organizations; ability to confidently provide expert testimony in both oral and written formats; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; ability to operate a vehicle; ability to function calmly in stressful situa­tions; ability to prepare and maintain detailed records and prepare related reports.

Typical Education, Training and Work Experience

Master's Degree in the Behavioral Sciences and some clini­cal work experience in the treatment of the mentally ill or substance abusing populations.

Licensure and Certifications

Valid VA driver's license. VA license as LCSW, LPC, or LCP.

Rappahannock Area Community Services Board is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available during the application and hiring process by contacting Human Resources at 540-899-4400 or HumanResouces@rappahannockareacsb.org.

RACSB maintains a drug-free workplace environment. All candidates who receive conditional offers of employment must successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening and background check, including criminal history, Department of Social Services review, driving record, and verification of credentials. Our comprehensive screening program reflects our commitment to maintaining a safe, healthy workplace and providing high-quality services to our community.

Key Responsibilities

The therapist provides direct therapeutic treatment services, including intake assessments, crisis intervention, and individual, group, and family therapy. They are also responsible for maintaining detailed case documentation and providing expert testimony in legal proceedings.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in Behavioral Sciences and possess a valid Virginia license as an LCSW, LPC, or LCP. Additionally, a valid Virginia driver's license and clinical work experience with mentally ill or substance-abusing populations are required.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Mental health counselingSubstance abuse treatmentRisk assessmentTreatment planningClinical documentationIntake interviewingPsychological assessmentDiagnostic assessmentBehavioral healthInterpersonal rapport

Social Work — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 58% are remote, 34% 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

37 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 26 employers

8
<$90k
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$90k-105k
4
$105k-120k
13
$120k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks32 jobs · 26 employers

401k / retirement match
97%
CME allowance
50%
Loan repayment
28%
Sign-on bonus
25%
PSLF eligible
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.4this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Social Work (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 177 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call

Living in Stafford

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$446k
Typical market rent
$2,458/mo
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).

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.

Rappahannock Area Community Services Board logo

About Rappahannock Area Community Services Board

Health, Wellness & Fitness
Fredericksburg, VA
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Equal Opportunity Employer
Drug-free Workplace