ADAPT Domestic Violence Counselor (Social Services Specialist III)

Salary : $70,711.26 - $117,851.76 Annually
Location : ALEXANDRIA (KL21), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 24-02413
Department: Family Services
Opening Date: 10/12/2024
Closing Date: 10/25/2024 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S25
Posting Type: Open to General Public
Job Announcement
This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.
Anger Domestic Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) Counselor (Social Services Specialist III) provides a full range of assessment and intervention services in an innovative, competency based domestic violence intervention program for adults. Responsible for intake, referral, comprehensive behavioral health assessment (including mental health and substance abuse clinical assessment) and referral, collaboration with the criminal justice system and social services referral agents, psych educational skills-based group preparation and leadership, volunteer and intern supervision, and strong team-based collaboration skills. Requires strong communication, teaching, and counseling skills to be able to provide compassionate, competency based, motivation enhancing intervention with typically court mandated clients in a context of safety and accountability. Position requires travel across multiple work sites in Fairfax County and regular schedule will include work up to three evenings per week with semi-annual training events on weekend days. Position also requires participation with the agency domestic violence and sexual assault hotline to include several monthly shifts on the hotline on both direct and on-call (24-hour) status.
Desired competencies:

• Knowledge of and ability to assess and provide treatment for clients with mental health and substance use disorders and or to support such intervention when needed with other agencies and personnel.
• Knowledge of how trauma impacts and relates to domestic violence problems (as a victim, perpetrator and/or witness).
• Knowledge about current practices and controversies in domestic violence intervention.
• Ability to establish rapport with mandated clients and other concerned persons.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with subordinates, co-workers, county officials, public and private sector organizations, community groups and the general public.
• Public speaking competency. Position requires frequent participation in panel discussions, work groups and workshops. Ability to prepare and deliver effective presentations.
• Competency based counseling and motivational interviewing skills. Required to intervene with clients who may at times challenge program limits and expectations.
• Risk and lethality assessment skills as well as the ability to intervene when risk (harm to self/others) is high to ameliorate risk. This may include crisis intervention skills.
• Ability to teach group and individual participants specific emotional regulation techniques, monitor progress, and address needs for remediation when progress is hampered by motivational, language, cognitive or other barriers.
• Ability to provide telephone emergency counseling, support, lethality assessment, safety planning over 24-hour on call shifts and to provide face-to-face accompaniment support to sexual assault and domestic violence victims in a hospital setting.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish

Illustrative Duties:

• Contributes to the development of protocols, policies, procedures, and contracts for a social services program, department, and other entities;
• Assists the supervisor in planning and carrying out training for new staff, providing guidance to staff.
• Serves as a policy expert in an area of social work specialization;
• Coordinates or oversees the daily activities of a program or project to include, oversight of administrative functions/requirements associated with the program or project, evaluation of the program or project for its impact/effectiveness, and making recommendations for changes or improvements;
• Conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and prepares and implements service plans;
• Works with clients to develop a plan of service to meet social, emotional and needs. With the client, formulates objectives and identifies actions to resolve the clients' problems;
• Makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized;
• Represents the agency in court proceedings; prepares testimony and testifies in Juvenile, Circuit, Criminal, Civil and Federal Courts;
• Works with the community to identify families, children and individuals needing services and to coordinate these services using a wrap-around approach;
• Advocates and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, home based services, training and medical services);
• Communicates and works with colleagues, clients and the community in a manner that supports the agency and program goals and objectives;
• Participates as a contributing member on interagency, multi-disciplinary teams, community groups and professional organizations;
• Provides training and education on a variety of social work topics;
• Uses automated technology and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts and summaries of information;
• Manages and maintains program data and outcomes.

Illustrative Duties
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.)
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work;
Thorough knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues;
Thorough knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization;
Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
Ability to analyze case information and to reach sound decisions on the basis of such information;
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.;
Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines;
Ability to provide guidance, direction, supervision and coaching to less-experienced staff;
Ability to provide management and oversight of a program or project.
Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus three years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED
License eligible within two (2) years (LCSW, LMFT, LPC, or License in Clinical Psychology).
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.
Must be Bilingual in English and Spanish.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS :
Master's degree in social work, counseling or related field
At least three years of clinical case management
Experience leading groups in a clinical setting
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS :
Must be able to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing. Ability to use automated technology to access, input, and retrieve computer data. Must be able to lift/carry up to 30lbs materials up to 300 feet for transportation of educational materials to service site. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.
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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
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Commuter Benefit Program
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

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

• Counseling
• Behavior science
• Human services
• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Social work
• 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 the discipline of your degree. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
04
How many years of full-time equivalent professional social work experience do you have?Note: "social work" is defined as an academic discipline and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.

• 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 or more years

05
Are you bilingual in English and Spanish (to include reading and writing)?

• Yes
• No

06
How many years of professional case management experience do you have?

• 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 or more years

07
Which of the following areas do you have at least ONE year of professional social services work experience in? Check all that apply.

• Adult protective services
• Children and families
• Child protective services
• Drug and alcohol
• Foster care
• Homeless shelters
• Housing
• Intellectual disabilities
• Mental health
• Older adults
• Physical disabilities
• Sexual assault
• None of the above

08
Do you have experience, paid or otherwise, providing clinical counseling to any of the following populations, specifically focused on addressing the impact of domestic violence? Check all that apply.

• Adults that have perpetrated domestic violence
• Adults that are court mandated for treatment services
• None of the above

09
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with those that have perpetrated domestic violence and/or have been court mandated for treatment services?

• 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 or more years

10
How long have you worked in a public, state or local social services agency?

• 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 or more years

11
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with a diverse multicultural population?

• 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 or more years

12
Are you currently working as a Social Services Specialist in a Family Services setting?

• Yes
• No

Required Question