The Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator (CEPC) serves as a subject matter expert for community-based suicide prevention and facilitates integration of suicide prevention education throughout Montana's communities. This position is located within the VA Fort Harrison Health Care System. The CEPC is a subject matter expert (SME) in state and local community suicide prevention resources and education connections. The CEPC promotes a public health approach to suicide prevention.
Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Hold a master's or doctoral degree in: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; or a related field, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Examples of related mental health counseling fields include, but are not limited to Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Additional information may be obtained from http://www.cacrep.org/directory/. NOTE: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs that are accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation counseling. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment. NOTE: It is VHA policy that a LPMHC who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must have been in a major specialty treatment program area such as, but not limited to, Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), mental health intensive case management (MHICM), or other areas of equivalent scope and complexity. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: In depth knowledge of the program coordinated, and demonstrated knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and or practice guidelines for the program. Ability to make key decisions in the hiring and identification of top candidates. Ability to provide leadership in facilitating the process of coordinating program consults, assessments, admissions, care assignments and discharges. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to other colleagues and trainees within the field of counseling working on an interdisciplinary team Assignments. LPMHC Program Coordinators are administratively responsible for a clinical program and provide treatment to patients in a major specialty. They manage the daily operations of the program, develop policies and procedures, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They may supervise unlicensed graduate LPMHCs and may administratively manage any employees assigned to their program. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Travel throughout the state is required to attend conferences, training, and hosting outreach activities. Performing work activities involves extended periods of sitting, walking, standing, bending, and carrying items such as program event tents, tables, and materials weighing up to 50 pounds. The incumbent must have a good driving record and possess a current valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties is required.
Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to: Serves as a subject matter expert (SME) in public health and suicide prevention, supporting partnerships and coalitions by providing new or existing community education and outreach initiatives on behalf of the Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS). Implements MTVAHCS Community-Based Interventions for Suicide Prevention including collaborating with community, Veteran, and state partners to develop, conduct, and/or support community-based suicide prevention programs as defined and supported by the VA HCS Suicide Prevention Program. Develops MTVAHCS-community partnerships - meet with prospective community partners and/or establish formal relationships between the MTVAHCS and local partners to facilitate suicide prevention in the community. Develops and provides suicide prevention related media/marketing, including interviews (print or broadcast), social media postings, and communication campaigns (Paid/PSAs). Provides a variety of suicide prevention trainings including but not limited to afocus on training in Lethal Means Safety, Mental Health Apps (Hope Box, PTSD, etc.), Military Culture, Other Gatekeeper Training (QPR, ASSIST), Postvention, Safety Planning, S.A.V.E., Suicide Risk Evaluation, Whole Health/Wellness. Hosts Outreach Awareness Tables on suicide prevention at community events, and actively seeks opportunities to increase outreach to the Veteran population. Leads meetings with prospective and existing community stakeholder(s) focused on Veteran suicide prevention. Provides leadership for coalition management -- leads alignment of community coalition goals with VA goals, collaborates with non-VA coalition leaders (remote or in person), attends coalition meetings (general) and coalition subcommittee meetings, manages and attends coalition sponsored events/public meetings, conducts and/or supports coalition evaluation activities (survey distribution, data collection, key informant interviews, etc.); and leads other coalition activities defined in a coalition action plan. Provides leadership with the suicide prevention team in the development and implementation of suicide prevention educational programs and initiatives. Establishes and maintains strong relationships between the MTVAHCS suicide prevention team and community-based veteran organizations and leadership. Develops materials and training programs, in coordination with the SP team members, other staff and external stakeholders regarding suicide prevention. Develops and delivers of education and outreach services that encompasses underserved veteran populations and expands Suicide Prevention coalition building in communities statewide. Effectively participates in the MTVAHCS interdisciplinary approach for performance improvement strategies. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8-430 Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 436-51775-A, 436B-57719-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Yes Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Learn more