Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor
What you'd do
The position is located in the Behavioral Health (BH) Services PTSD Clinical Team (PCT). BH provides ambulatory care services to mentally ill Veterans with PTSD and their significant others. Veterans receiving services may have concurrent psychiatric disorders, personality disorders, substance use disorders, medical conditions, and multiple psychosocial stressors. Thus, the biopsychosocial status of many of the BH Clinic (BHC) patients is severely compromised.
Major duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Behavioral Health Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor must have the knowledge and skills to make independent decisions regarding the assessment, treatment, and case management of the diverse BHC patient population. As a member of the interdisciplinary BHC BHIP and PCT specialty teams, the Behavioral Health Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor must form and maintain effective working relationships with staff from the Behavioral Health Clinic, Primary Care, Medical, Nursing, Social Work, Rehabilitation, Chaplain, and Dietetic Services in order to provide patients with an integrated and comprehensive treatment program. Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Conducts intake screenings and evaluations of Veterans and their significant others. Performs a comprehensive intake assessment and trauma evaluation that satisfy Joint Commission (JC) standards and provides clinically meaningful information related to the specific cognitive - social learning treatment approach used in the BHC. Assess and monitors the status of problematic behaviors; routinely evaluates the impact that therapeutic interventions have on patient problems; assesses patients' progress toward meeting treatment goals and objectives; determines the need for additional assessment of specific problem areas; and conducts and documents a discharge assessment that summarizes the extent to which each problem is resolved and the extent to which additional treatment is needed. Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy, as well as crisis intervention. Conducts short -term in-depth counseling and facilitates both open-ended, process groups; and time-limited, closed, structured groups for patients with trauma, mental health problems, or co-morbid conditions. Provides crisis intervention and stabilization to patients and significant others. Crisis intervention requires the incumbent to function with a high degree of independent judgment in responding appropriately and quickly to unique needs/dangers in crisis situations. Develops, as needed, and revises treatment plans. Documents patients' responses to treatment in a manner that facilitates the use of this information by other members of the interdisciplinary team. Writes a diagnostic summary which integrates biopsychosocial assessment data in a manner that leads to the development of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan specific to the BHC treatment model. Participates in the development of the comprehensive treatment plan, discuss the plan with patients, and ensure that the plan is current and complete. Reassess each patient as needed in order to determine the status of current clinical problems, current needs, and responses to treatment. Takes action to communicate findings with relevant BH staff and initiates action to modify treatment, when indicated. Ensures that the patient has adequate housing and that his or her basic needs for food and shelter are met and if not, appropriate referrals will be made in order to secure those resources. Handles requests of an administrative nature and act as the patient's primary contact person. Conducts a discharge assessment, create a discharge plan, and ensure a referral/contact with a follow-up agency Takes a supportive role in the administrative/clinical functions of the program such as quality assurance, policy and procedure development, program planning, preparation of reports, and other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the service) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 520-01410-F/01411-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. This exception rule only applies to the entry level (GS-9). 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: GS-9 (Entry Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure. The GS-9 grade level 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 in paragraph 3.b., and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (c) below: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. 3. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life span. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions. 5. Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively. 6. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth. 7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. 8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. 9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education, and 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 (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (c) below. LPMHCs may provide clinical supervision over the clinical practice of an unlicensed LPMHC or LPMHC trainee. Some state licenses do not license an individual to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Please refer to specific state licensing laws regarding the requirements for providing clinical supervision. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. 2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 3. Ability to provide 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. 4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. 5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. 6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions. 7. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices. 8. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho- education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy. All experience must be clearly described in your application. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. Preferred Experience: Evidenced based practices (EBP). This includes therapies such as EMDR, CPT (Cognitive processing therapy), etc. for PTSD. 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-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Demands: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
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