Behavior Management Counselor (Probation Counselor II)

Salary : $68,774.37 - $114,625.06 Annually
Location : FAIRFAX (EJ01), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 26-00596
Department: Juv & Domestic Relations Court
Opening Date: 04/18/2026
Closing Date: 5/1/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S24
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

Position is located at Stepping Stones, formerly Boys Probation House (BPH) (it was PBH), a community-based residential group home for adolescent males ages 14 - 18 on probation that are post-dispositionally court-ordered into the program or adolescent males monitored by a community-based case manager. The Behavior Management Counselor position is a merit, full-time position with day, evening, weekend, and holiday shifts, 40 hours per week.

Services take place primarily in the group home, followed by three months of support services provided in the assigned resident's home/community following the residential phase. While working as part of a resident's treatment team, the Behavior Management Counselor is responsible for providing case management, therapeutic interventions, and evidence-based counseling services; with the primary goal of assisting the resident in addressing the underlying issues that brought them to the attention of the court, increase their ability to accept personal responsibility through therapeutic treatment, and transitioning successfully to home, school, and community.

The Behavior Management Counselor is also responsible for collaborating with the clinical team to develop weekly strategies, providing treatment interventions, and monitoring progress of goals on the resident s service plan; conducting individual counseling sessions; and leading group sessions. Provides weekly progress updates and may submit court summaries. When not providing counseling or case management the Behavior Management Counselor is responsible for providing direct supervision and counseling to all residents. Ensures facility operation and building safety, maintenance, and security on all assigned shifts.

Ensures the health care and physical well-being of residents through appropriate disbursement of medication and administration of first aid. May be required to testify at court hearings as a program representative reporting on client's behavior and progress in their treatment. Operates a 15-passenger van and transports residents to a variety of community activities. Supervises and directs the daily routine of residents. Supervises the daily treatment and recreational programs that include counseling sessions, treatment and recreational programs that encompass sports, and life skills training. Ensures the physical well-being, health care and safety of residents.

This position is considered "essential personnel" and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, etc.).
Illustrative Duties
(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)

Counseling and Treatment Services
Formulates treatment or rehabilitation plans for and presents written or oral recommendations for adjustment of behavior;
Supervises and monitors community service requirements; schedules payments, collects court costs and restitution; monitors urine tests;
Interviews juvenile or adult offenders, their families and related persons to determine the nature of the adjustment difficulty;
Testifies in court and provides required written reports on adjustment and compliance to courts;
Documents and maintains prescribed records of casework services and periodically compiles related statistics:
Aids clients in obtaining employment;
Arranges for the court appearance of the client and family;
Informs clients of available community resources;

Residential Services:
Positions located in a residential facility supervise and direct house routines and therapeutic programs;
Ensures that residents maintain behavioral norms;
Coordinates and implements a residential program area such as recreational, educational or employment activities;
May drive a passenger van for educational and recreational trips;
Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
Knowledge of the principles of psychology and sociology;
Knowledge of current social and economic conditions;
Ability to use technology to enter and retrieve information;
Ability to interpret laws, rules, and regulations related to probation work and victim services;
Ability to interview and counsel clients;
Ability to prepare complete case records and reports;
Ability to develop effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.
Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in social/behavioral sciences, criminal justice, or education plus two years of professional experience in probation work, social work, criminal justice, juvenile justice, education, or counseling. A master's degree in the disciplines above may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• Valid driver's license (required at time of application)
• The following certifications must be obtained within a specified timeframe after appointment and recertification annually thereafter:
  • CPR/First Aid (Required within 30 days)
  • Handle With Care (Required within 30 days)
  • Medication Management (Required within 6 months)
  • ServeSafe (Required within 6 months)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position is considered Emergency Service Personnel to ensure the continuity of essential operations, and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
• The appointee to the position will be required to complete the following to the satisfaction of the employer:
  • Criminal Background Investigation
  • Child Protective Services
  • Sanction Screenings
  • Driving Record Check
  • Pre-employment Medical Evaluation
  • Tuberculosis Test

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, criminal justice, or any other behavioral or Social Sciences.
• At least two years of professional experience counseling families and adolescents, preferably in a residential setting.
• Experience in case management, service plans, and risk assessments.
• Proficient in evidence-based practices such as Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Expressive Art Therapy, and trauma-informed interventions.
• Knowledge in the use of Microsoft Office Computer Software: Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Must be able to operate a motor vehicle. Must be able to operate keyboard driven equipment. Must be able to physically restrain acting out residents (youth between the ages of 14 - 18). Must be able to supervise and participate in educational and recreational activities with adolescents (this may include participating in sports activities, standing for periods of time, sitting, and observing). Visual and auditory acuity. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a written exercise.
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home, including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others. We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity ().

#LI-AL1

Requisition 26-00596
Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions

1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
   • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
   • Flexible Spending Program
   • Deferred Compensation
2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
   • No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate degree

02

Please indicate the major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.

• Criminal justice
• Social work
• Education
• Psychology
• Counseling
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not applicable

03

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your completed majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
04

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a related degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

05

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

06

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have in probation work, social work, criminal justice, juvenile justice, education, or counseling?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six or more years

07

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have doing case management and treatment planning?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six or more years

08

Which of the following evidenced-based treatment practices have you used in your professional career? Check all that apply.

• Motivational interviewing
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Expressive art therapy
• Trauma-informed interventions
• Solution focused
• Substance use therapy
• None of the above

09

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have providing supportive counseling, case management, treatment planning, and using evidenced based practices with adolescents in a residential setting?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six years or more

10

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating, editing, formatting, and saving simple documents; inserting simple tables; and proofreading documents for accuracy)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of common commands such as creating a title; using, modifying, and creating styles; setting up the ruler; indenting paragraphs, using tabs and tables; inserting captions, footnotes, endnotes, special characters, or hard page breaks; using page numbering; creating headers and footers; inserting graphics; inserting an equation, adding comments and tracking changes.)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all function of program including mail merge, macros, creating a table of contents, creating bookmarks and cross-referencing.)