Marriage and Family Therapist (Advanced)
What you'd do
The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) serves as an independent practitioner within the Mental Health Service at the Alexandria VA Health Care System (AVAHCS), providing specialized, independent, and complex clinical services to Veterans and families.
Major duties
The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist carries a caseload of Veterans requiring intensive, multifaceted interventions and provides individual, group, couples, and family therapy. Duties include but not limited to: Provides comprehensive clinical assessments, diagnostic impressions within licensure scope, and evaluation of complex mental health presentations including co-occurring substance use, medical, and psychiatric conditions. Provides education to Veterans, families, and significant others on mental health conditions and treatment options. Provides individual, family, conjoint, and group counseling within LMFT scope of practice. Delivers evidence-based, recovery-oriented interventions appropriate to licensure and privileging. Provides crisis intervention, risk assessment, safety planning, stabilization, and follow-up. Conducts biopsychosocial assessments addressing mental health, substance use, trauma history, medical concerns, strengths, and psychosocial needs. Identifies high-risk factors including suicidality, homelessness, interpersonal violence, or justice involvement. Responds to and triages consults, ensuring timely access to appropriate care. Develops, implements, and revises treatment plans reflecting measurable, recovery-oriented goals. Provides individual, group, and family counseling within LMFT scope. Utilizes evidence-based practices, including CBT, MI, and problem-solving approaches. Independently provides crisis intervention, including assessment and management of suicidal or homicidal risk. Maintains advanced knowledge of mental health and substance use treatment, trauma-informed care, relapse prevention, case management, and psychosocial rehabilitation. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm; subject to change based on facility needs Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 01022F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorize
What you need to qualify
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. English Language Proficiency. MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. Education. Candidates must meet one of the following: Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. 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: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12 (Advanced) Education, Experience and Licensure. Candidate must have successfully completed evidence based training in family therapy and must have graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program OR have passed the AMFTRE. Candidate must have at least five years of post-licensed clinical experience in delivery of family systems therapy including one-year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. This experience must demonstrate the use of an evidence based family therapy model while exhibiting progressive professional competency and expertise. Assignments requiring responsibility for providing clinical supervision must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)s: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs listed below: Ability to provide specialized consultation for complex cases involving individuals, families and/or couples utilizing evidenced-based family systems theory/therapy. Ability to provide crisis intervention which includes assessment, safety planning and complex treatment planning using independent clinical judgment utilizing family systems theory/therapy. Ability to provide family systems therapy, which seeks to address Veterans and their family members on an individual level and deals with interpersonal interactions. Ability to provide unlicensed MFT staff/trainees with systemic clinical supervision towards licensure from a family systems theory/therapy perspective Preferred Experience: Treatment of Veterans and/or VA experience 2-years experience providing psychotherapy and service related to alcohol and/or substance use Experience with couples and family therapy 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: 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, puling, 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.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.