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 & 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 English Language Proficiency: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors must be proficient in spoken & written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. Education: Hold a master's or doctoral degree in: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling & Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; or a related field, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling & 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, & 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-183 series in VHA must hold a full, current, & unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis & treatment Exception: VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. The requirement of licensure may be waived for a period not to exceed 3 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level. This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9). For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as LPMHC on 4/03/2018 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education & licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Employees who do not meet the basic requirements required, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees in an occupation that require licensure, may be reassigned/promoted up to & including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees in an occupation that require licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to 4/3/2018 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 If an employee who was retained under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status & must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation Grade Determinations: GS-9 (Entry Level): Experience, Education, & Licensure: This is the entry grade level for LPMHCs with less than one year of experience post-master's degree or for LPMHCs at the master's or doctoral level who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice level. Unlicensed LPMHCs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed under basic requirements, & are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to engage in intake & assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning & implementation, continuum of care, evaluation & follow-up Knowledge of current Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals & application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, & strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, & career development across the life span Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, & relational functioning of individuals, groups & families & on the counseling approaches, strategies, & techniques that will best help patients function effectively Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely & thorough clinical documentation & delivery of services, such as Telehealth Ability to learn & utilize software programs in use by VHA Knowledge & understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, & regulations affecting professional practice of counseling Ability to communicate effectively, both orally & in writing, with people from varied backgrounds GS-11 (Full Performance Level): Experience, Education, & Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post- doctoral degree mental health counseling experience & must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the basic requirements & meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, & recommendation for treatment planning & implementation Advanced knowledge & mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems & maintaining an effective counseling relationship Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues & trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings & discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases & confer about the counseling perspectives & orientation Ability to provide complex crisis intervention & stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment & skill Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, & psychosocial assessment Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses & formulation of treatment goals & application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices Ability to develop & facilitate psychotherapy & psycho- education groups that include life skills, family support, & community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological evaluations, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions. Duties include but are not limited to: Provide functional assessment, triage, brief intervention, education and consultative services regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns, on referral from PACT providers. Provide a full range of psychological services to patients in Primary Care. Perform mental health evaluations of Primary Care patients who request or are otherwise identified by the primary care provider as needing assessment for possible behavioral health interventions or mental health treatment. Provide brief, time-limited behavioral health/psychotherapeutic interventions to patients in the Primary Care Clinic setting. Design and implement effective treatment strategies based on clinical need, and incorporates new clinical procedures as indicated. Consult with Primary Care Clinic staff on a wide variety of mental health and behavioral health-related patient care issues. Facilitate patient referrals to specialty Mental Health Services programs when clinically indicated. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8AM to 4:30PM Telework: May be available on an ad-hoc basis as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 607320, 607330 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized