Healthcare OPT Jobs in Virginia
Virginia's healthcare sector offers F-1 OPT candidates strong opportunities across Northern Virginia's sprawling hospital networks, Richmond's academic medical centers, and the Hampton Roads region. Major employers like Inova Health System, VCU Health, and Sentara Healthcare regularly hire international graduates in clinical, research, and health informatics roles that align with OPT work authorization requirements.
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OPEN UNTIL FILLED
JOB SUMMARY:
The Qualified Mental Health Professional I/II (QMHP) Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)–Vocational Specialist is a member of the ACT multidisciplinary team and has the primary responsibility to provide supported employment and education services to ACT individuals. The QMHP I/II provides engagement; vocational assessment; job development; job placement; job coaching and supports; and could provide assistance in benefits counseling. This professional also provides community-based rehabilitation and support functions for individuals with persistent, serious mental illness (SMI). This professional assists in treatment by providing the individuals with services such as, case management; psychiatric rehabilitation skills education; assists in obtaining needed resources/supports; assists in development/maintenance of natural supports; and collaborates as well as consults with individuals' families and extended natural supports. The professional also provides crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees/licenses.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provide supported employment and education services, including, engagement; vocational assessment; job development; job placement; job coaching and supports; and benefits counseling, in accordance with individuals' treatment plans.
- Provide coordination of services among the treatment team; assume shared responsibility in development, implementation, and revision of treatment goals; provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management interventions; ensure immediate changes are made in treatment plans as needs change; educate and support individuals' families; and advocate for individuals' rights and preferences.
- Participate in the ongoing, person-centered, comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical health and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living and family structure and relationships.
- Participate in daily clinical treatment team meetings to facilitate individual's recovery and to provide advocacy.
- Provide direct support to individuals to obtain legal and advocacy services, housing supports, financial support, money management services, medical and dental services, transportation, and natural supports in the community. Consult and collaborate with community resources, extended natural supports, and families to the benefit and well-being of the individuals served.
- Provide crisis intervention services during regular scheduled work hours and after hours on-call (rotated among all team members) to support individuals in emergency situations by phone and/or face to face in order to reduce the acute symptoms related to the emergency and to prevent hospital admission. Document client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity according to established methods and procedures.
- Participate in providing individual, group, and/or family evidence-based substance use and mental health treatment interventions in accordance with individuals' treatment plans. This includes cross-training other team members so that they may develop skills necessary to assist individuals with vocational needs.
- Follow established agency methods and procedures for documentation of progress notes, individualized treatment plans, and quarterly reviews in the electronic health care record.
OTHER DUTIES:
- Provide psychiatric rehabilitative skills building to individuals as assigned. Assist individuals in development of skills in areas of personal care, safety skills, money management, clothing maintenance, household maintenance, social skills, use of transportation, and accessing community resources.
- Assist in the provision of direct clinical services to individuals on an individual, group, and family basis to provide education on symptom-management techniques and to promote personal growth and development.
- Provide medication delivery (i.e. daily, weekly), support, observation, monitoring, and education to the individuals. Additional medication training is required and provided by the agency to ACT staff.
- Share duties in provision of wellness recovery strategies; vocational rehabilitation efforts; and obtaining/maintaining safe, affordable housing.
- Perform such other duties as assigned by supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of the ACT model.
- Knowledge of substance use/mental health disorders and treatment modalities.
- Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with SMI.
- At least one (1) year of experience providing employment services.
EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION REQUIRED:
ACT QMHP I (Level 11):
Must meet Board of Health Professions registration requirements for Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) or QMHP Trainee.
ACT Mental Health Worker II- (Grade 12):
A "Qualified mental health professional" means a person who has (i) completed, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree.
After hire, the candidate must complete the required approved training and education pathways for QMHP-T and QMHPs, including registration with the Virginia Department of Health Professions Board of Counseling.
A minimum of one (1) year work experience with adults with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) and substance abuse needs are both required.
Valid driver’s license and a safe driving record.
Job Description
OPEN UNTIL FILLED
JOB SUMMARY:
The Qualified Mental Health Professional I/II (QMHP) Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)–Vocational Specialist is a member of the ACT multidisciplinary team and has the primary responsibility to provide supported employment and education services to ACT individuals. The QMHP I/II provides engagement; vocational assessment; job development; job placement; job coaching and supports; and could provide assistance in benefits counseling. This professional also provides community-based rehabilitation and support functions for individuals with persistent, serious mental illness (SMI). This professional assists in treatment by providing the individuals with services such as, case management; psychiatric rehabilitation skills education; assists in obtaining needed resources/supports; assists in development/maintenance of natural supports; and collaborates as well as consults with individuals' families and extended natural supports. The professional also provides crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees/licenses.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provide supported employment and education services, including, engagement; vocational assessment; job development; job placement; job coaching and supports; and benefits counseling, in accordance with individuals' treatment plans.
- Provide coordination of services among the treatment team; assume shared responsibility in development, implementation, and revision of treatment goals; provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management interventions; ensure immediate changes are made in treatment plans as needs change; educate and support individuals' families; and advocate for individuals' rights and preferences.
- Participate in the ongoing, person-centered, comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical health and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living and family structure and relationships.
- Participate in daily clinical treatment team meetings to facilitate individual's recovery and to provide advocacy.
- Provide direct support to individuals to obtain legal and advocacy services, housing supports, financial support, money management services, medical and dental services, transportation, and natural supports in the community. Consult and collaborate with community resources, extended natural supports, and families to the benefit and well-being of the individuals served.
- Provide crisis intervention services during regular scheduled work hours and after hours on-call (rotated among all team members) to support individuals in emergency situations by phone and/or face to face in order to reduce the acute symptoms related to the emergency and to prevent hospital admission. Document client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity according to established methods and procedures.
- Participate in providing individual, group, and/or family evidence-based substance use and mental health treatment interventions in accordance with individuals' treatment plans. This includes cross-training other team members so that they may develop skills necessary to assist individuals with vocational needs.
- Follow established agency methods and procedures for documentation of progress notes, individualized treatment plans, and quarterly reviews in the electronic health care record.
OTHER DUTIES:
- Provide psychiatric rehabilitative skills building to individuals as assigned. Assist individuals in development of skills in areas of personal care, safety skills, money management, clothing maintenance, household maintenance, social skills, use of transportation, and accessing community resources.
- Assist in the provision of direct clinical services to individuals on an individual, group, and family basis to provide education on symptom-management techniques and to promote personal growth and development.
- Provide medication delivery (i.e. daily, weekly), support, observation, monitoring, and education to the individuals. Additional medication training is required and provided by the agency to ACT staff.
- Share duties in provision of wellness recovery strategies; vocational rehabilitation efforts; and obtaining/maintaining safe, affordable housing.
- Perform such other duties as assigned by supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of the ACT model.
- Knowledge of substance use/mental health disorders and treatment modalities.
- Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with SMI.
- At least one (1) year of experience providing employment services.
EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION REQUIRED:
ACT QMHP I (Level 11):
Must meet Board of Health Professions registration requirements for Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) or QMHP Trainee.
ACT Mental Health Worker II- (Grade 12):
A "Qualified mental health professional" means a person who has (i) completed, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree.
After hire, the candidate must complete the required approved training and education pathways for QMHP-T and QMHPs, including registration with the Virginia Department of Health Professions Board of Counseling.
A minimum of one (1) year work experience with adults with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) and substance abuse needs are both required.
Valid driver’s license and a safe driving record.
OPT Healthcare Job Roles in Virginia
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Search Healthcare Jobs in VirginiaHealthcare OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
Which healthcare companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Virginia?
Inova Health System, Sentara Healthcare, VCU Health, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic, and HCA Virginia Health System are among the larger employers in Virginia with established track records of hiring international graduates on OPT. University-affiliated medical centers and federally funded research institutions tend to have more structured onboarding for OPT candidates than smaller private practices.
Which cities in Virginia have the most healthcare F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Northern Virginia, particularly the Fairfax and Arlington areas, leads due to its proximity to Washington D.C. and concentration of hospital systems and health technology companies. Richmond is strong for clinical and research roles given VCU Health and Bon Secours. Norfolk and Virginia Beach also offer consistent demand through Sentara's network serving the Hampton Roads region.
What types of healthcare roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in Virginia?
Roles that directly relate to a graduate's field of study are eligible. Common qualifying positions include health informatics analysts, clinical research coordinators, biomedical engineers, public health analysts, medical laboratory scientists, and healthcare IT specialists. Roles in direct patient care requiring state licensure can be more complex, as licensure processes may interact with OPT timelines and require additional planning.
How do I find healthcare F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Virginia?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters job listings by visa type, including F-1 OPT, and by industry, so you can search directly for healthcare roles in Virginia without sorting through positions that do not support OPT. This saves time compared to manually screening general job boards. Migrate Mate's listings are curated for sponsorship-friendly employers, giving you a more targeted starting point.
Are there any Virginia-specific considerations for F-1 OPT in healthcare?
Virginia's high concentration of federally affiliated hospitals and contractors near D.C. means some healthcare positions may have security clearance or citizenship requirements that exclude OPT candidates, so it is worth confirming eligibility before applying. Additionally, STEM OPT extension eligibility matters for healthcare roles tied to STEM-designated programs such as biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, or health data science, which can extend your authorized work period by 24 months.