Residential Crisis QMHP/T

Position Summary

What This Role Actually Is

You are the eyes, ears, and steady presence on a small residential unit where people in acute psychiatric crisis are trying to stabilize. You work under the supervision of licensed clinical staff, alongside nurses, peers, and other QMHPs. You don't diagnose, you don't develop treatment plans, you don't conduct clinical assessments, those are LMHP roles. What you do is just as important:

• You implement the treatment plan the LMHP has developed.
• You're the person who notices when a client's mood shifts, when something's off, when withdrawal is escalating, when a quiet client suddenly isn't.
• You're the person who can de-escalate a situation 
• You're the person who makes the unit feel structured, safe, and human at the same time.

QMHPs who do this work well are not invisible, they're the operational backbone of crisis stabilization. The licensed clinicians on the team can't do their jobs without strong QMHPs running the floor.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

What You'll Do Day-to-Day

Direct Client Support

• Monitor and supervise clients to ensure safety and maintain a supportive therapeutic environment.
• Conduct regular safety checks per policy (30-minute rounds, headcounts, line-of-sight observations as ordered).
• Observe and document changes in client behavior, mood, or functioning and report to clinical staff promptly.
• Assist clients with daily living activities: hygiene, meals, structured activities, transitions between groups.
• Support clients in attending scheduled groups, therapy, and recreational activities.
• Implement interventions as identified in the Treatment Plan developed by the LMHP.

Crisis Response & De-Escalation

• Use approved de-escalation strategies (CPI, Handle With Care, or agency-trained equivalent) to defuse escalating situations.
• Assist with the implementation of safety and crisis intervention protocols.
• Respond appropriately to behavioral emergencies under the direction of the LMHP and nursing staff.

Documentation & Compliance

• Document all observations, services provided, and significant events in the EHR.
• Submit clinical documentation (progress notes, daily logs, incident reports) within the 24-hour Virginia Medicaid documentation window.
• Maintain compliance with DBHDS, Medicaid, Office of Human Rights, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2 (SUD confidentiality) standards.
• Report incidents, behavioral concerns, and suspected abuse/neglect per agency protocol.

Supportive Care Coordination

• Assist with screening, intake, and orientation of new admissions under LMHP supervision.
• Help gather mental health, substance use, and criminal history information for the clinical record.
• Support discharge planning by linking clients with community-based resources and services.
• Provide psychoeducation on mental health, substance use prevention, and self-care under clinical direction.

Team Participation

• Participate in shift hand-offs, interdisciplinary team meetings, and required trainings.
• Promote a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented care environment.
• Assist with facility upkeep and maintaining a clean, safe, and therapeutic setting.

Pay Rate: $22-$25 depending on experience. Additionally, we offer $2 per hour shift differential for shifts starting at 7pm, and $2.00 per hour shift differential for weekend hours. 

The Residential Crisis Stabilization Unit is a 24/7 Operation. We are looking for QMHPs interested in one of the following shifts:

7am-3:30pm Monday-Friday

Benefits: (Full-Time)

• 8 days  PTO
• 3 sick days
• 2 paid Mental Health Days
• Group Health Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• 7 Paid Holidays
• Free CEUs
• Free Supervision

Qualifications

Required

• Active registration with the Virginia Board of Counseling as a QMHP
• Bachelor's degree in human services, counseling, psychology, social work, or related field approved by the Board
• Completion (or active completion) of the 80 hours of Board-required didactic education across the six core areas
• Current CPR and First Aid certification
• De-escalation training such as CPI or Handle With Care (or willingness to certify within 15 days)
• Valid Virginia driver's license and current DMV record
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and an EHR

Skills & Competencies

• Strong observation skills and the ability to notice subtle changes in mood, behavior, or functioning
• Excellent documentation skills, accurate, timely, professional in tone
• Ability to de-escalate stressful situations using trauma-informed approaches
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to engage with clients experiencing serious mental illness, addiction, and/or developmental disabilities
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients in crisis
• Strong time management, ability to complete rounds, document, support groups, and respond to needs in the same shift
• Ability to work collaboratively with nurses, LMHPs, peers, and other QMHPs
• Discretion in managing confidential information (HIPAA 42 CFR Part 2)

Salary : $22 - $25