The shortage of mental health staff at Alexandria City Hall has prompted City Manager Jim Parajon to request $900,000 from City Council to address the issue. With 64 vacancies out of 301 direct service positions and 128 mental health professionals having left the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) since 2022, the city is struggling to attract and retain mental health professionals.
To combat this shortage, the city is proposing several strategies. These include increasing one grade in compensation for all mental health staff, offering a $3,000 signing bonus for new staff, engaging an outside firm for targeted recruitment, and appointing a temporary administrative staff member to assist in key aspects of internal hiring and onboarding.
The human resources department will also conduct a review of steps and grades for 103 mental health positions in an effort to improve recruitment and retention of mental health professionals in Alexandria. Additionally, salaries for DCHS mental health positions are significantly lower compared to neighboring jurisdictions, by an average of $20,000. This disparity may be contributing to the shortage.
City Council will be meeting tonight to discuss releasing funds from contingent reserves for these strategies aimed at addressing the shortage of mental health staff at Alexandria City Hall.