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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education - Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following: 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 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation counseling. Licensure - Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment. Grandfather Provision: An LPMHC employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (4/3/2018) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. GS-12 LPMHC (Program Coordinator) Requirements: 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. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 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. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and 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 and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices. 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. 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: Background in Suicide Prevention practice. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve active listening, reading, observing and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior, walking, speaking, bending, carrying light items such as paper, books, small parts, writing reports, writing clinical notes, using office equipment such as computers, telephones, fax machines, photocopy machines, and possibly driving an automobile. Some work is performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable disease common of the homeless population. Strenuous physical activity is not required. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders; Emotional and Mental Stability: The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Description of Assigned Duties This position serves as the senior clinician on the team and helps to manage consults, admissions and care assignments. The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program is comprised of multidisciplinary teams of health care professionals and administrative staff that provides comprehensive, accessible patient-centered mental health care in partnership with the Veteran (and the Veteran's supportive others). These teams manage and coordinate services consistent with care goals set by the Veteran. The incumbent leads the multidisciplinary team (comprised of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, clerical staff, program support assistants, etc.) and provides administrative, technical and clinical supervision necessary & appropriate for accomplishing the work of the teams utilizing discipline appropriate consultation as needed. Experience must demonstrate advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. The Team Lead must be independently licensed by a state to practice at the advanced practice level. The candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. The incumbent demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications FUNCTIONS OF SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES (a) Prepares for and leads interdisciplinary team meetings to review new or complex cases for treatment recommendations. (b) Receives, reviews and completes BHIP consults utilizing consult toolbox. (c) Makes team assignments based on clinical needs and preferences of the patient. (d) Assumes responsibility for ensuring that the BHIP services comply with VHA and Medical Center policy: Federal, State and Local regulations and meets Joint Commission requirements. (e) Tracks and collects data on utilization of behavioral treatments and develops performance improvement initiatives. (f) Provides training, orientation and guidance to other health professionals regarding the parameters of BHIP services. (g) Ensures single, comprehensive Veteran-focused treatment plans, with measurable goals are developed by BHIP team members. (h) Establishes clear referral mechanisms and processes for other facility providers, including formalizing service agreements, where needed. (i) Assesses available information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to patients in the general mental health population. Assists in developing and implementing information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, and patient satisfaction. (j) Develops work improvement plans in coordination with the BHIP Coordinator to be presented to the mental health coordinator group for final approval for actions to take. (k) Develops and maintains an access schedule for same day services. (l) Facilitates daily huddles and weekly treatment team meetings. (m) Back-up provider for all BHIP teams secure messaging. (n) Trains new BHIP team members about BHIP beyond what orientation and supervisory information includes. (o) Develops and maintains resources files for staff and Veterans The incumbent will also provide clinical services: (a) Provides case management services to include internal and external referrals, resources, education, advocacy, and supportive services. (b) Develops individualized treatment plans. (c) Administers tools for measurement based care to measure and improve patient outcomes. (d) Provides individual, group and family therapy. (e) Completes suicide risk evaluations utilizing assigned and shared templates in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) on all patients with suicidal ideation and on any patient whose record is flagged "High Risk for Suicide." (f) Provides crisis intervention services. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS Incumbent reports to the Mental Health Social Work Supervisor who in turn reports to the Chief of the Mental Health Service. The Mental Health Social Work Supervisor provides oversight to the incumbent's daily implementation of specific job duties and assignments However, the incumbent practices independently, using professional judgment and expertise to make Work Schedule: FT, Tour of Duty to be determined by Supervisor or Manager. Telework: Ah hoc only as determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.