Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Coordinator) - EDRP Authorized
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
Suicide Prevention Coordinator (LPMHC, GS-0183-12) in Psychology Service, South Texas VHCS. Serves as subject-matter expert on suicide prevention within a multidisciplinary treatment team. Monitors high-risk veteran caseload, conducts psychosocial assessments, SBORs, and Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations. Trains clinical/non-clinical staff, responds to Veteran Crisis Line referrals, ensures Category I flag implementation, and liaises with community and veterans organizations to promote evidence-based suicide prevention practices. Maintains a list of patients determined to be currently high-risk for suicide and monitors their care to ensure needed services are being received. This is the core safety-net function; if it's missed, a veteran can fall through the cracks. Responds timely to referrals from the Veteran Crisis Line, including making contact with veteran callers to engage them in treatment. It's a time-sensitive, acute-risk intervention. Completes SBORs, Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations, and consults for consideration of activation of high-risk flag, as appropriate. This drives the clinical risk determination that shapes what protections a veteran gets. Ensures implementation of Category 1 Flags per Central Office Directives. It makes sure the system-wide safeguard actually gets activated and followed, not just recommended. Assures that all veterans on the facility tracking list are being followed closely by the appropriate provider on a regular basis. This is an ongoing quality-control check on the whole tracking system. Provides direct patient care for high-risk suicide prevention purposes. It's direct clinical intervention with the highest-risk population. Serves as subject matter expert on suicide prevention within the Multidisciplinary Treatment Team. This elevates clinical decision-making across the whole team, so its impact goes beyond the coordinator's own caseload. Reports back to the Crisis Line about the results of interventions. It closes the loop so risk information doesn't get lost between systems. Consults/collaborates with providers regarding their delivery of care to high-risk veterans. This extends safe practices to other clinicians' caseloads. Collaborates with providers to support completion of SBORs, Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations, and consults for consideration of activation of high-risk flag. Participates in case assessment, treatment, and discharge planning for eligible veterans. This is important but more routine and procedural than the acute-risk items above. Provides training to clinical and non-clinical staff throughout the STVHCS community regarding risk factors, warning signs, treatment options, and resources. It's high-leverage but preventive and indirect rather than case-specific. Promotes the use of evidence-based interventions and strategies for suicide prevention. This has broad, ongoing influence but is less concrete than direct training. Provides education and facilitates best practice for treating high-risk veterans. Acts as liaison and trainer to community organizations and veterans organizations. It matters for outreach and prevention at the population level, but it's the furthest removed from direct, individual life-safety intervention. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Central Time Telework: This is a remote position. A remote position is a position in which the employee, under a written remote work agreement, is scheduled to perform their work at an alternative worksite and is not expected to perform work at an agency worksite on a regular and recurring basis. A remote worker's official worksite may be within or outside the local commuting area of an agency worksite. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 54104-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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/. 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). All persons employed in VHA in as LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard, 4/3/2018, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Grade Determinations: 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. Preferred Experience: PE 1. Minimum of 3 year's experience working with a complex and wide range of psychosocial issues related to the practice of mental health care PE 2. Senior LPMHC's model professional behaviors and uphold high ethical standards. PE 3. Experience conducting meetings and possess strong communication skills in writing and orally. PE 4. Possesses organizational skills, in-depth knowledge of VA policies and procedures and the practice of LPMHC's in the state of Texas. PE 5. Advanced consultation experience on patient care. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This vacancy is GS-12 and above the full performance level. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.
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