Licensed Behavioral Health Clinician- Child & Adolescent Autism Specialty Care- Hybrid

Essential Job functions:

• Provides initial evaluations and direct outpatient clinical services for the Department of Psychiatry for children and adolescents.

• Provides psychotherapy to patients in conjunction with care provided by department psychiatrists, physicians, psychologists, and nurse practitioners.

• Develops clinical treatment plans with patient input, understanding and agreement toward clearly stated goals.

• Utilizes the most current diagnostic and statistics manual for mental health disorders to provide accurate diagnosis.

• Completes clinical documentation noting progress toward treatment goals following each patient encounter.

• Maintains compliance with all VCUHS policies and procedures governing clinical care delivery and documentation.

• Collaborates as part of an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of the patients served.

• Facilitates patient referrals to other departmental resources or to community resources as appropriate.

• Performs other duties as assigned and/or participates in special projects in order to support the mission of VCUHS and the Department.

• Provides assistance to team members.

• Accepts alternate assignments, as required, graciously.

Patient Population:

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.

Pediatrics (1-12 years), Adolescents (13-17 years)

Employment Qualifications:

Required Education:
Masters or Doctoral level education in the field of psychology, social work, counseling, or nursing from an accredited program

Preferred Education: N/A

Licensure/Certification Required:

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Professional Counselor, Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Social Worker or Clinical Nurse Specialist

Licensure/Certification Preferred: N/A

Minimum Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

Minimum of three (3) years post licensure experience providing initial psychiatric evaluations and psychotherapy in an outpatient setting

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

Must be able to independently evaluate patients, formulate an accurate differential diagnosis, develop, and implement an appropriate course of treatment.

Cultural Responsiveness:
Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

Experience working with child, adolescents, and their families

Working Conditions:

Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.

Physical Requirements:

Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs); Push/Pull (0-50 lbs.)

Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards:

Physical Requirements:

Reach above shoulder

Mental/Sensory - Emotional:

Mental/Sensory: Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem solving, Hearing, Speak clearly, Write legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking

Emotional: Fast-paced environment, Able to handle multiple priorities, Frequent and intense customer interactions, Noisy environment, Able to adapt to frequent change

The Licensed Behavioral Health Clinician - Autism Services is an independently licensed clinical social worker, professional counselor, psychologist with Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification. This clinician will be responsible for providing direct outpatient behavioral health services to individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in addition to supporting broader mental health needs within the Department of Psychiatry and other areas of the health system as needed.

This clinician will provide initial evaluations, develop individualized and measurable treatment plans, and deliver evidence-based psychotherapy and behavioral interventions informed by Applied Behavior Analysis. Services may include conducting functional behavior assessments, developing behavior reduction strategies, facilitating skill acquisition programs, and providing caregiver or family education and training. The clinician will collaborate with psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, nurse practitioners, and other team members to ensure high-quality, coordinated care, while also supervising and overseeing behavior technicians as appropriate to maintain clinical quality and treatment fidelity.

In addition to clinical responsibilities, the clinician will play an integral role in the ongoing development and expansion of the department's autism and neurodevelopmental specialty program. This includes contributing to program design, identifying gaps in services, assisting with workflow and documentation improvements, and participating in strategic planning to enhance patient access, treatment outcomes, and family support. The clinician will also collaborate with leadership and interdisciplinary teams to identify training needs and ensure staff competency in evidence-based ASD interventions.

The clinician is expected to maintain compliance with all VCUHS policies, use the most current DSM for accurate diagnosis, and complete timely and thorough clinical documentation noting progress toward treatment goals. The role also includes facilitating referrals to internal and external resources, participating in interdisciplinary case discussions, and engaging in special projects and departmental initiatives that support the mission and strategic priorities of VCU Health and the Department of Psychiatry. Flexibility, a collaborative mindset, and responsiveness to evolving patient and programmatic needs are essential, as the clinician may be asked to accept alternate assignments or provide support across outpatient service areas.

The ideal candidate will bring experience in autism-specific care, strong knowledge of ABA practices, and a commitment to advancing high-quality, inclusive, and patient-centered behavioral health services.

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.