Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in Virginia
Behavioral Health Therapist jobs in Virginia are among the most active in the Mid-Atlantic region, concentrated in community mental health centers, hospital systems, and Veterans Affairs facilities across Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads. Major employers with a consistent presence include Inova Health System, VCU Health, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, all of which maintain ongoing behavioral health hiring. The most in-demand specialties are trauma-focused therapy, substance use disorder treatment, and child and adolescent behavioral health. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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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.
Actual starting salary depends on education, credentials and experience.
10% Specialty Assignment Pay + 7% shift Differential.
Every day, people experiencing a behavioral health crisis need someone who can provide hope, compassion, and expert clinical care. At Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare’s (CIBH) Crisis Receiving Center, a Licensed Clinician I plays a vital role in helping individuals stabilize, connect to treatment, and begin their recovery journey.
What You’ll Do
- Conduct comprehensive behavioral health and substance use assessments for individuals presenting in crisis.
- Complete suicide risk, violence risk, and safety assessments and develop individualized safety plans.
- Provide crisis intervention, brief therapeutic counseling, stabilization services, and solution-focused interventions.
- Develop person-centered treatment and discharge plans that promote recovery and continuity of care.
- Coordinate transitions to outpatient services, crisis stabilization, residential treatment, inpatient care, and community-based supports as clinically appropriate.
- Collaborate closely with psychiatrists, nurses, peer recovery specialists, emergency services clinicians, case managers, and community partners.
- Facilitate therapeutic groups and psycho-educational interventions as assigned.
- Complete accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with Medicaid, DBHDS, licensing, and agency standards.
- Participate in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, case consultations, and quality improvement activities.
- Promote a trauma-informed, recovery-oriented environment that emphasizes dignity, hope, and person-centered care.
The City of Chesapeake offers an exceptional range of benefits.
Requires a master’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling, or a closely related field, or another degree as approved by the Virginia Department of Health Professions.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:
In addition to satisfying the vocational/education standards, this class requires a minimum of two years of related, full-time equivalent experience.
SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES:
- Requires State of Virginia licensure as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Professional Counselor (LPC), Clinical Psychologist (LCP).
- A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist MD/DO, or a Bachelor’s Prepared Registered Nurse (RN) with five years of experience may be considered in the Emergency Services Program.
- May consider as a marginal (under-grade) applicant a Resident in Counseling or Supervisee in Social Work applicant who is currently registered with the Board of Health Professions with the ability to obtain licensure within the probationary period.
- May require Pre-Screening Certification within 6 weeks of employment (12 weeks for part-time staff) for those in the Emergency Services Program.
- Requires a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is in compliance with the City Driving Standards.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
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.
- Experience providing crisis intervention, emergency behavioral health, or psychiatric services.
- Experience working with adults experiencing acute mental health and substance use crises.
- Knowledge of suicide risk assessment, crisis de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and recovery-oriented practices.
- Experience treating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
- Familiarity with evidence-based practices such as Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.
- Experience with electronic health records and Medicaid documentation requirements.
Please ensure that all employment entries on the resumes are listed as either Full or Part time.
Medical Marijuana:
In accordance with City policy, this position is deemed safety-sensitive. As such, applicants for this position are subject to pre-employment drug/alcohol testing after receiving a conditional offer of employment and may also be subject to random testing. This drug test includes testing for marijuana. Possession of a medical marijuana card will not excuse an applicant from the testing process; however, a test will not be considered positive for marijuana if a valid medical marijuana certification is presented unless the position requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or is a sworn law-enforcement officer/deputy.
ADA Checklist
C = Continuously- 2/3 or more of the time. F = Frequently- From 1/3 to 2/3 of the time. O = Occasionally- Up to 1/3 of the time. R = Rarely- Less than 1 hour per week. N = Never- Never occurs.
D = Daily W = Several Times Per Week M = Several Times Per Month S = Seasonally N = Never
D = Daily W = Several Times Per Week M = Several Times Per Month S = Seasonally N = Never
C = Continuously- 2/3 or more of the time. F = Frequently- From 1/3 to 2/3 of the time. O = Occasionally- Up to 1/3 of the time. R = Rarely- Less than 1 hour per week. N = Never- Never occurs.
Professional References
Please provide contact information for professional references.
See All 109+ Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsBehavioral Health Therapist Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Behavioral Health Therapist Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Inova Health System12

- Bon Secours8

- Connections Health Solutions8

- Bon Secours Mercy Health7

- University of Virginia5

Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Education
- Investment & Asset Management
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in behavioral health therapist jobs across Virginia.
- Active Virginia license as a Licensed Professional Counselor, LCSW, or LMFT
- Master's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related clinical field
- Experience delivering individual and group therapy in a clinical or community setting
- Proficiency with electronic health records and clinical documentation standards
- Ability to conduct mental health assessments and develop individualized treatment plans
- Knowledge of evidence-based modalities such as CBT, DBT, or trauma-informed care
Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a behavioral health therapist in Virginia?
You must earn a master's degree in counseling, social work, or a related clinical field, then obtain licensure through the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Depending on your discipline, this means pursuing the Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist credential. Each requires supervised post-graduate clinical hours and passing a board-approved examination before you can practice independently in Virginia.
Which companies hire behavioral health therapists in Virginia?
Companies currently hiring behavioral health therapists in Virginia include Inova Health System, Bon Secours, and Connections Health Solutions, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's concentration of federally affiliated facilities, large integrated health systems, and community service boards also makes it one of the stronger states for stable, long-term behavioral health employment.
Which Virginia cities have the most behavioral health therapist jobs?
Portsmouth, Richmond, and Leesburg have the most behavioral health therapist openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia's density of federally contracted providers and large health systems drives the volume there, while Richmond's concentration of academic medical centers and state agencies anchors demand in the capital region, and Hampton Roads benefits from a large military and veterans services population that generates consistent behavioral health need.
Are there remote behavioral health therapist jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most clinical fields, because telehealth has become a mainstream delivery model for outpatient therapy. About 25% of behavioral health therapist openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how broadly insurers and employers now reimburse virtual sessions. Individual outpatient therapy and care coordination roles are the most likely to be fully remote, while crisis services and group therapy positions typically remain on-site.
How can I get hired as a behavioral health therapist in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a supervised residency or associate-level role that counts toward Virginia licensure hours. Large Virginia employers such as Inova, VCU Health, and community service boards across the state regularly hire residents and provisionally licensed clinicians who are accumulating hours toward their LPC, LCSW, or LMFT. Applying for case manager or behavioral health technician roles is a common lateral move that builds clinical exposure, and completing a Virginia-supervised practicum placement during your graduate program gives you a direct reference network with hiring managers.
Where can I find and apply to behavioral health therapist jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to behavioral health therapist jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your license level, specialty, and preferred location, and apply directly to the positions that fit.
See All 109+ Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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