BH/DS Clinician III

Job Posting End Date:

October 12, 2026

Department:

HUMAN SERVICES

Compensation Grade:

A13

Compensation Range & Starting Salary:

Pay Range: $68,328.00 - $105,892.80

Starting salary may be negotiable based on qualifications

Job Exempt (If No, Position is eligible for overtime):

Yes

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

About Us:

Recognized as one of America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024, the City of Virginia Beach is proud to offer a diverse and dynamic work environment. Our workforce plays a crucial role in delivering exceptional government services to both our citizens and fellow City employees. Apply now to join an organization where you truly make a difference.

Job Duties and Preferred Qualifications:

The City of Virginia Beach Department of Human Services is seeking to hire two dedicated and compassionate Clinician III's who want to make a difference in our community working with adults and youth with mental health and/or substance use disorders for our Emergency Services Program in the Behavioral Health Division. The ideal candidate will have experience working as a Certified Preadmission Screener performing crisis assessments/intervention, taking crisis phone calls and working with adults or youth with mental health and substance use disorders in a behavioral health program/CSB setting.

Duties:

• Provide crisis assessment, intervention and prevention services to residents of Virginia Beach representing danger or risk of danger to self or others or inability to care for self as a result of mental illness and/or substance use.
• Conduct pre-admission screenings for people in need of voluntary admission to a private or state psychiatric facility or involuntary admission to any psychiatric facility.
• Complete mobile, face-to-face, telephone/walk-in assessment of emergency and non-emergency mental health and substance abuse service requests with referral to appropriate agency or community providers for ongoing treatment services.
• Consult with law enforcement, community providers/care givers, and residents regarding persons in crisis; provide information about fees for services.
• Serve as court liaison at civil commitment hearings as needed.
• Provide support services for department residential and in-home programs.
• Provide clinical documentation and assure that all filing of clinical information and submission of billing information are done accurately and within the time frame required.

Work Schedule varies based on program needs. Emergency Services is a 24/7 program; selected candidate must be available to work varied shifts including overnight, weekends, and holidays. Most shifts are either 12am-8am or 12pm-10pm.

A $4,000 hiring bonus is being offered for this position. Hiring bonuses shall only be for new hires of original full-time employment or reemployment as defined in Human Resources Policy No. 5.0.

• $1,000 will be awarded in the first paycheck.
• $1,250 will be awarded upon completion of the six (6) month interim performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”
• $1,750 will be awarded upon completion of the employee’s one (1) year probationary period and a performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”.

This position is eligible to receive a $6,000 annual stipend to be paid in installments over the 26 pay periods for Certified Pre-Screeners.

The City offers a generous benefits package which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement, and savings plans, maternity/paternity and paternal leave, and paid leave.

Preferences:

• Valid Virginia BH Preadmission Screener Certification.
• Clinical licensure in Virginia as LPC, LCSW, LMFT, LCP, Psychiatric NP, Psychiatric clinical nursing specialist, MD or DO.
• Experience providing Crisis Intervention as part of Mobile Crisis Response or Mobile Co-Response Team.
• Experience working in Behavioral Health setting providing Crisis Assessments
• Behavioral Health experience working with adults and/ or youth who are diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED).

Additional requirements:
• DMV Transcript: Yes
• CDL: No
• Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse: No
• CPS Check: Yes
• Physical: No
• Respirator: No
• Psychological Screening: No
• Polygraph: No
• At Will: No

Minimum Requirements:

MINIMUMS: Requires a Bachelors degree in a human services field (such as psychology, behavioral or mental health, special education, social work) and five (5) years of experience associated with such positions as clinician, counselor, therapist, social worker, psychologist or psychiatric nurse OR any combination of education (above the high school level) and/or experience equivalent to nine (9) years associated with such positions as clinician, counselor, therapist, social worker, psychologist or psychiatric nurse.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Must have Master's Degree in related field. Must be eligible for a Virginia Preadmission Screening Certification. Must be eligible for clinical licensure in Virginia within 2 years. All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or City-wide emergencies.

Skills:

Behavioral Health, Clinical Documentation, Community Resources, Crisis Assessment, Crisis Response, Substance Abuse Evaluations

Working Conditions:

Per HR Policy 6.19, Americans with Disabilities, the City follows the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all hiring and employment decisions. The City shall not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring and employment practices. The City shall make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability upon request unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship on the operation of the City’s business.

The Working Conditions Summary is intended to provide a general overview of the environmental conditions inherent in the job setting, as well as the physical, mental, and sensory requirements necessary to perform the essential functions of the position in the noted job profile. Please copy and paste the URL below into your web browser to view the Working Conditions Summary for this position.

https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/P9208.pdf

Official Job Descriptions:

To browse official job descriptions, please access this link - https://virginiabeach.gov/careers/job-descriptions-pay-plans?search=&group=E

VRS Contribution: All full-time employees are required to contribute 5% of annual salary toward their retirement account; in accordance with VRS retirement provisions. This will be handled through a pre-tax payroll deduction.

Drug Free Workplace: The City of Virginia Beach maintains a drug free workplace.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement: The City of Virginia Beach is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status as defined by applicable law.

City of Virginia Beach Career Fair

Join the Annual Career Fair at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on October 6, 2026, from 12 PM to 6 PM. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with department contacts and learn more about the services they provide, along with current and future job openings. To pre-register, please click here.

City of Virginia Beach

Virtual Q&A:
Have questions about current job opportunities, the hiring process or benefits with the City of Virginia Beach? Join our virtual Q&A every Thursday from 11:00AM – 1:00PM. Ask questions, get answers, and take the next step in your career. To register click here.

The City of Virginia Beach boasts a diverse workforce of around 7,500 employees dedicated to delivering outstanding government services. Our team is guided by core values of quality customer service, teamwork, leadership and learning, integrity, commitment, and inclusion and diversity. Find your Best Job Yet and apply today to become part of a team where your skills and values make a significant impact.