Job Abstract

At-Will Residential Counselors

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 At-Will Residential Counselor positions.

An Overview

The At-Will Residential Counselor provides direct support services to individuals with intellectual disabilities in a residential program, completes assessments, and writes daily progress notes and incident reports. The Direct Support Professional (DSP) supervises the daily living activities of individuals in a group home setting and guides residents in the development and implementation of their person-centered plans. The Residential Counselor will perform job duties within the framework of Departmental Policy, City of Alexandria Administrative Regulations, State of Virginia Human Rights guidelines, applicable State Policies/Guidelines and accepted best practices guidelines.

What You Should Bring

The Residential Counselor will have good knowledge of large household coordination and maintenance; Good knowledge of the nature of mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental delay and the role of residential support services; Empathy with the problems of people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental delay; Ability to identify behavior which indicates movement toward a crisis situation; Ability to plan and supervise the work of clients; Ability to instruct clients in basic living skills and to identify progress and learning requirements; Ability to obtain the cooperation of clients in difficult situations; ability to understand the needs and abilities of mentally ill or intellectual disabled citizens; and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.

The Opportunity

• Completes all applicable assessments documents to develop individualized service plans.
• Writes progress notes on computer system.
• Maintains clinical records following all applicable licensing and Medicaid regulations.
• Instructs and guides residents in the completion of tasks to ensure the development of skills and confidence, and monitors, evaluates and records resident’s performance through written progress notes.
• Monitors medication management of residents by observation and reporting medication concerns to treatment team and/or supervisor.
• Assist residents in planning recreational and educational activities.
• Identifies and responds to personal emergencies and crisis with referral to appropriate community resources and treatment team.
• Participates in treatment team meetings.
• Reports all maintenance issues of the facility.
• Assists residents in preparing meals, house cleaning and laundry.
• Completes grocery shopping.
• Transportation of residents in City vehicles.
• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Performs related work as required.

About the Department

The Center for Adult Services (CAS) provides programs and services in Aging; Adult Protective Services; Clinical & Emergency Services; and Community & Residential Support Services for seniors and for persons with mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance use disorders. CAS provides compassionate and effective person-centered services based on best practices. Our teams support self-determination, safety and recovery for Alexandria residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance abuse disorders.

High School Diploma or GED plus completion of post-high-school training/education pertaining to behavioral health, medical health, substance abuse and/or mental health; at least one year of direct work experience with individuals served by the specific program where the position is located (Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness, and/or Substance Abuse/Dependence); or an equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employees in this class must possess a valid driver's license issued in the state of their residence.

Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in a social science field. At least one year of experience working with individuals suffering from mental illnesses and/or substance abuse disorder. Basic computer skills are necessary. Certified by The Virginia Board of Counseling as a QMHP-A.

This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment checks to include: FBI Criminal Record Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Drug Testing; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; Driver's License from state of residence and education/certifications.

Schedule: Various shifts, depending on open shifts at the residential programs. As an Essential Employee, staff will be expected to be at work during weekends, holidays, or inclement weather if they have been scheduled.