Bilingual Mental Health Counselor (Youth Initiatives)

Working at Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) means doing work that matters every day because of the difference you will make in the lives of children and families in Northern Virginia. NVFS’ breadth, depth and scope of services offer the resources and support to ensure that everyone in need, at every stage of life, maximizes their potential and fully contributes to a thriving community. At NVFS, we value the diversity of backgrounds, experience, perspectives, and skillsets that we collectively provide to our community, clients and coworkers. We celebrate and thrive on our differences and welcome everyone’s unique contributions.

Join the NVFS Family: We are looking to hire a Bilingual -Spanish speaking- Mental Health Counselor to join the NVFS Youth Initiative team! As the Mental Health Counselors in the Youth Initiatives Program, you will provide community-based clinical services (individual, family, and group) to low-income individuals and families with multicultural and trauma and/or family reunification backgrounds as part of a holistic intervention and prevention team consisting of case managers, mental health counselors, and program management. In this role, you will work primarily with male clients.

This position receives clinical supervision towards licensure. 

Your Future Team: The Youth Initiatives Programs of NVFS utilize a highly effective, trauma-informed, culturally relevant service model to provide multi-modal “neighborhood based-school  connected” services designed to ensure that at-risk immigrant youth and families are able to thrive in their chosen communities; succeed academically and socially; and that the communities themselves are equipped to prevent future community and family violence. The complex issues facing low-income immigrant families living in high crime, high poverty neighborhoods require a comprehensive prevention, intervention and therapeutic approach that centers on youth in the context of the family and community. Specifically, the Violence Prevention and Intervention Program (VPIP) and Family Reunification Program (FRP) offers a menu of services tailored to the needs of the community to reduce family and community violence.

Benefits and Compensation: We want you to be well, have work/life flexibility, grow your career with us, and have the resources and support you need. Check out our comprehensive benefit offerings here in support of various dimensions of your wellbeing.

This position has a starting salary in the low 60s

In this role, you will be responsible for: 

• Provide individual, family and group therapy services for a culturally diverse population of adolescents and their families.
• Individual services may be targeted towards the youth or parent based on needs assessment.
• Families referred often also have a history of trauma and violence in the home, communities, and/or countries of origin including gang violence, community violence, sexual assault, and family violence which has complicated the reunification and requires therapeutic intervention.
• Collaborate with the case manager and/or group facilitator to ensure holistic service provision.
• Provide workshops and groups in schools and community-based settings.
• Ensure that service delivery is performed in accordance with the NVFS mission, agency policies and procedures, case management model, and project requirements.
• Perform other indirect service activities that may include: program development, community outreach, or Agency committee work.
• Prepare statistical and narrative reports as required
• Participate in regular individual (administrative and clinical) and group supervisions as directed by supervisor.
• Assure confidentiality policies and procedures are followed to protect the rights of clients, that reports to authorities occur in the mandated time frames and that critical incident reviews related to these procedures are completed and filed.
• Maintain client files in accordance with program/licensing requirements and NVFS guidelines.
• Participate effectively and positively in required Program and Agency meetings and trainings.

Your Background:  We understand that you may obtain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences.

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology or related field
• At least one (1) year of clinical experience in trauma focused psychotherapy such as work with torture survivors; victims of sexual offenses, domestic violence or any other trauma survivors; and work with families around attachment.
• Experience providing services to immigrants and recently reunified families and adolescents preferred.
• Oral and written fluency in English; Spanish language fluency required. Additional language skills always welcome.
• Digital and technical proficiency including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Must be able to demonstrate and live the organizational values of Communication, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, and Accountability.

Additional requirements:

• Successful completion of background checks and TB test required upon hire
• Must clear Motor Vehicle Record check, have valid U.S. driver’s license, and have own transportation in order to transport clients
• Must have reliable transportation to visit client homes and other designated community locations
• May be called upon to work beyond normal working hours

NVFS is committed to advancing equity, embracing diversity, and promoting inclusion and is an equal opportunity employer. NVFS is an E-Verify participant and drug-free workplace.

NVFS values diversity in our workforce. We strongly encourage all interested individuals to apply, including people of color, all genders and gender identities, people of all abilities, LGBTQ individuals, other members of marginalized communities, veterans and national service alumni.