Salary: $20.85 - $27.92 Hourly
Location : Alexandria, VA
Job Type: Part-Time
Job Number: 2025-00319
Department: Department of Community and Human Services
Division: CENTER FOR ADULT SERVICES
Opening Date: 05/28/2025
Bargaining Unit: N/A
Residential Counselor
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 Residential Counselor position.
An Overview
The Residential Counselor provides residential services to individuals with serious mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders and/or developmental disabilities, completes assessments, provides information to develop service plans, provides assistance and training in daily living skills.
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 assessment documents to develop individualized service plans; write weekly progress notes.
• 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; participates in treatment team meetings.
• Assists residents in planning recreational and educational activities.
• Identifies and responds to personal emergencies and crisis with referral to appropriate community resources and treatment team.
• Reports all maintenance issues of the facility.
• Assist residents with grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and other ADL skill building.
• Provides transportation for residents using City Vehicles.
• Calls the relief counselor telephone list to find coverage for your shift when using sick or annual leave.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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.
Minimum & Additional Requirements
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.
Preferred Qualifications
Possession of a Bachelors' degree in a social science field and one year of experience working with individuals suffering from mental illnesses and/or substance abuse disorder. Meet the criteria for Qualified Mental Health Professional status.
Notes
This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment checks to include: Criminal Records Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Drug Testing; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; Driver's License from state of residence and education/certifications.
Schedule: The schedule for this position is Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 12O00PM - 6:00PM; Saturdays, 9:00AM - 3:00PM, and Sundays, 3:00PM - 11:00PM each day. As an Essential Employee, staff will be expected to be at work during weekends, nights, holidays, or inclement weather if they have been scheduled.
We are proud to welcome you to explore the City of Alexandria's excellent benefits and programs!
The benefits referenced on this site, may be changed from time to time without notice. Also, temporary and some part-time positions are not eligible for these benefits. For further information, please contact the Talent Acquisition Team of Human Resources at
01
In Virginia or any other location, have you ever been or are you the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect? If yes, list all cases and explain. If no, indicate "N/A."
02
All positions in DCHS require successful completion of pre-employment background checks in the Virginia State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry and national Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database. Some positions require criminal records check, and scrutiny of any found criminal records against the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services list of Barrier Crimes. Some positions require drug testing, and verification of driver's license and education/certifications.

• I Understand.

03
To answer yes to this question, you must answer yes to all the following questions:•Do you have a 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?•Do you have at least one (1) 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?•Do you have a valid driver's license issued in the state of their residence?If you answer no to any part of this question you must answer no.

• Yes
• No

04
If you answered "No" to question 3, do you have any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position? (If you answered, "Yes' to question 3, please answer "Yes" to this question).

• Yes
• No

05
Do you have a Bachelor's degree in a Social Science field?

• Yes
• No

06
Do you have at least one (1) year of experience working with individuals suffering from mental illnesses and/or substance abuse disorder?

• Yes
• No

07
Are you licensed or license eligible as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP)?

• Yes
• No

08
The schedule for this position is Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 12O00PM - 6:00PM; Saturdays, 9:00AM - 3:00PM, and Sundays, 3:00PM - 11:00PM each day. As an Essential Employee, staff will be expected to be at work during weekends, nights, holidays, or inclement weather if they have been scheduled. Will you be able to accommodate these hours?

• Yes
• No

Required Question