Bilingual Senior Therapist

An Overview 

Using a fluent level of written and verbal Spanish and English communication, the Bilingual Senior Therapist with the City of Alexandria's Criminal Justice Services provides clinical services to court-involved youth and families including assessments, individual and group therapy, case management, crisis intervention, and coordination of treatment. The work in this position is performed under the general supervision of the Therapist Supervisor with the Forensic Behavioral Health Team, a division of the Alexandria Criminal Justice Services Department.

What You Should Bring 

The ideal candidate is expected to possess senior level experience providing clinical services to adults, youth and families in both English and Spanish. Excellent knowledge of diagnosis, assessment and evidence-based treatment for individuals who experience trauma, mental health and substance use challenges. Ability to conduct behavioral health assessments, treatment planning, individual, group and family therapy. Ability to work successfully with youth and their families, assisting in development of their strengths and abiding by their goals and preferences. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, in a clear concise manner, with other professionals and with the general public. Ability to collaborate with colleagues, the Court, and community partners. 

The Opportunity 

A Bilingual Senior Therapist with Alexandria Criminal Justice Services is responsible for providing clinical and therapeutic services to youth, adults, and families involved with the Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. This position requires a therapist with a wide range of clinical experiences, able to provide services to adults, youth and families involved in the criminal/juvenile justice system, and parents, children, and families navigating custody and visitation disputes. 

A Senior Therapist engages fully and actively with youth and families when therapeutic services are court-ordered or recommended, completing assessments, providing individual and family therapy, and approaching treatment recommendations from a trauma-informed lens. Senior Therapists serve as a part of an interdisciplinary team, providing clinical consultation and service recommendations. 

Senior Therapists also provide therapeutic services to parents, caregivers, and children involved in custody and visitation disputes. This may include co-parenting assessments, the development of co-parenting plans, biopsychosocial assessments, therapeutic service assessments, individual therapy, and referrals to other services in the community. Senior Therapists collaborate with multidisciplinary and collateral providers to best meet the needs of their clients and may be called upon to testify in court. The Senior Therapist will also be required to regularly facilitate the Focus on Parenting program for caregivers, a four-hour class with a curriculum required by the Virginia Supreme Court. 

The Senior Therapist generally conducts these tasks during regular business working hours but may be required to work occasional evenings to meet client needs. A Senior Therapist may also serve as a clinical supervisor for practicum/intern students with the forensic internship program. 

Illustrative examples of duties include: 

• Engage fully and actively in English and Spanish with court-involved adults, youth, and families, helping them to address feelings, attitudes, behaviors, fears, and anxieties related to the history of legal issues, trauma, mental health, and/or substance use, and provide therapeutic support. 
• Conduct biopsychosocial evaluations, develop treatment plans, and refer to other community services, as needed. 
• Collaborate and work within various systems such as Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, schools, etc. 
• Provide a full range of services to families involved in custody and visitation disputes including co-parenting assessments, the development of parenting plans, supportive therapy, psychoeducation, and referrals to community resources. 
• Communicate effectively through written reports to the Court and verbally in courtroom testimony. 
• Facilitate Focus on Parenting education groups for parents and guardians with custody and/or visitation disputes, as ordered by the Court, and may also be required to provide other group classes based on the needs of the Court and the community. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.  

 About the Department 

Alexandria Criminal Justice Services (ACJS) houses staff within the Alexandria Court Service Unit (CSU) to support the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in the City of Alexandria. The Forensic Behavioral Health Team provides services free-of-charge to individuals involved with the Court. 

Possession of a master’s degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Education or related field. Two-three years providing trauma-informed mental health therapy to at-risk and vulnerable populations; Licensure or license eligible. If license eligible, the employee must obtain Virginia licensure at the first available opportunity, or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. 

Knowledge of the mental health classifications/DSM-5 and the ASAM criteria; training in Motivational Interviewing and trauma-informed treatment modalities; knowledge of the court system; at least one year of clinical experience with court-involved youth and families. Bilingual in English and Spanish. 

Schedule  

Negotiated hours between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday with potential for some evening and/or weekend hours totaling 40 hours per week. This position will primarily be located at the Alexandria Court Service Unit with some options for remote work.  

Salary : $72,597 - $127,756