Job Announcement

The Department of Family Services (DFS) is committed to strengthening the well-being of its diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services. To learn more about DFS and its Mission, Vision, and Values, please click here.

The Division of Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) of DFS is seeking all candidates who find it rewarding to help improve safety for those impacted by domestic and sexual violence. If you are a behavioral health professional who enjoys working in a diverse agency steeped in the principles of equity and social justice, then please apply for this Social Services Specialist III (SSS III) position.

The SSS III is a member of the Anger & Domestic Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT). With support from the ADAPT Supervisor, the SSS III provides community engagement, outreach, education and coordination of domestic violence services for those who cause harm in their interpersonal relationships. Duties and responsibilities include:

• Serves as a liaison between DSVS, Fairfax County and community-based agencies, and respective clients to increase awareness, access, and engagement with available services and supports
• Works with DSVS Countywide Coordination team to enhance and integrate policies, services, and supports within Fairfax County’s coordinated community response that promotes increased survivor safety and accountability for those who cause harm in their interpersonal relationships
• Provides technical assistance and coaching on best practice principles of interpersonal violence accountability, prevention, and intervention services
• Performs biopsychosocial assessments, risk assessments, facilitates individual and structured group treatment sessions
• Conducts prevention outreach, psychoeducation, and case management
• Develops and applies expertise and specialized knowledge of psychobiology of trauma, substance use, domestic violence, family dynamics, cognitive restructuring, motivational interviewing, and other specialized relevant content areas
• Serves on a rotational basis for hotline coverage, volunteer support and hospital accompaniment for victims of sexual and/or domestic violence
• Performs duties and special projects as assigned related to agency or program goals

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: The appointee for this position must have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA):

• Knowledge of principles of interpersonal violence accountability and community resources available to those who perpetrate violence
• Knowledge about best practices and domestic violence intervention, particularly with those who perpetrate violence
• Knowledge of trauma and criminogenic risk factors that correlate with risk for domestic violence
• Ability to facilitate group and individual treatment employing cognitive behavioral and motivational interviewing approach
• Ability to monitor client treatment progress and establish boundaries with clients who may at times challenge program limits and expectations
• Ability to conduct risk and lethality assessment, mitigate risk, and employ crisis intervention skills
• 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
• 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

Important Note: All Fairfax County Government employees are expected to adhere to the Standards of Conduct. In maintaining a drug free workplace, employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing, using or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while at work or on county premises.

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.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• License in one of the following preferred: LPC, LCSW, LMFT, PsyD, PhD
• Master’s degree in a field related to counseling, social work, psychology, or marriage and family therapy
• Ability to provide counseling services in Spanish and English
• At least two years of experience directly providing psychotherapy specifically to treat trauma
• Demonstrated experience in broadly addressing the impacts of domestic or sexual violence
• Completed and applied professional training in a trauma-specific treatment modality

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs will still be subject to the weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.

The appointee to this position must submit to a criminal background check, and child protective services registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to transport self to various work sites.
• 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 may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview; may include exercise.

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.