This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. English Language Proficiency. LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12 Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Examples of experience includes, but is not limited, to the following: making professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation; providing subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation; defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship; providing complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress; establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment; using a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices; and, developing and facilitating psychotherapy and psycho- education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. 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: Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling, or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial, and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients, rendering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills. Ability to teach, mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications. Ability to engage in written and oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession Preferred Experience: General mental health (behavioral health interdisciplinary program); training in evidence-based psychotherapy. Couple and/or family therapy experience. 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: The work is sometimes sedentary. Typically, the employee will sit to perform administrative work. However, other position duties include physical requirements which include but not limited to, long periods of walking; standing; bending; crouching, reaching and lifting of a variety of moderately heavy items, carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; or driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.
Duties and responsibilities may include but are not limited to: Clinical Functions 70% Implements treatment modalities, provides counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families and groups. Conducts psychosocial assessments. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Participates in scheduling, triaging, and monitoring the flow of patients in the MHC and assisting with admissions of MHC patients to inpatient psychiatry unit when indicated. Recognizes emergency situations, summons appropriate help and responds appropriately including provision of case management services, liaison to family members and crisis intervention services. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. Incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems utilizing individual, group and family counseling and therapy skills. Possesses general knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation and non-service-connected pension. Facilitates referrals based upon Veteran needs and eligibility. Works in the Outpatient Division of the Mental Health Careline (MHCL). Participates in Measurement Based Care. May participate in Tele-mental-health or similar activities in order to provide service for Veterans who are located a prohibitive distance from VA facilities. Collaborates with the team RN or LPN in keeping track of secure messaging from Veterans. Functions as a case manager for Veterans in the BHIP team with multiple missed opportunities, including "no-shows", to determine the best method to manage the patients' patterns of repetitive cancellations and no-shows. Administrative Functions 30% Coordinates same day access for Veterans established within the BHIP Team. Works with the BHIP Team in the accomplishment of routine Team and unit activities. Conducts BHIP team huddles/meetings Actively participates in the team panel management and identifies stable patients to be referred back (discharge) to the PACT teams. Reviews DSS reports frequently as needed to identify patients needing biopsychosocial assessments/assessment updates, treatment plans and treatment plan updates. Completes customer services tasks such as patient advocate entries and other formal and informal complaints. Conducts chart audits/reviews at required intervals to monitor fidelity to BHIP model of care and optimum panel management. Assumes responsibility and accountability as delegated in the BHIP Team and the MHC, under the direct or indirect supervision of the Clinic Coordinator. This position will serve as the Senior Licensed Professional Health Counselor. Duties may be performed from either the Portsmouth, Ohio Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) or from the Cambridge, Ohio, CBOC. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. Telework: Available; Ad-hoc only as determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92129-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized. Recruitment or relocation incentive may be paid to a Highly Qualified candidate. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN10HRCCOE@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.