Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Full Job Description

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 (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: The basic requirements for employment as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C.

§ 7402(b)(11). To qualify for appointment as an LPMHC in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States.

(Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g.) 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).

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/.

Examples of related mental health counseling fields include but are not limited to: Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling.

**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.

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 3j.

Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade level for each candidate.

(1) Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, 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. Assignments.

Individuals assigned as GS-9 LPMHCs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, including co-signatures where required, as they are not functioning at the full performance level.

They are typically assigned to VHA areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience.

Since they are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed LPMHC in the area who can provide supervision for practice.

Under supervision, LPMHCs at this level provide professional mental health counseling services. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up.

Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application 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.

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, and relational functioning of individuals, groups and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and 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 and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth.

Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA.

Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling.

Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

LPMHC, 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) performing duties such as: engaging in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up; using a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; providing professional mental health counseling services; and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level.

~AND~ Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the GS-11 experience, education and licensure grade requirements, candidates must demonstrate all the KSAs below: 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 familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to and possesses multicultural counseling skills.

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.

Continued in Education: Major Duties:

The incumbent serves as an RCS Vet Center Readjustment Counselor, providing counseling services, outreach, referral, and follow up care coordination to eligible individuals, couples, and family members.

In this capacity, the incumbent functions as a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of 4 or more staff members.

This entails the incumbent contributing proactively to internal coordination of care and collaborative planning and problem solving among all staff.

Duties include, but are not limited to: Screening and Assessment: Will work directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship sufficient for completing all required readjustment counseling intake procedures to include an assessment of risk for self-harm and psychosocial functioning.

This information will be used as the foundation for identifying the presenting clinical focus areas and for developing the readjustment counseling service plan.

Counseling Planning/Goal Setting: Develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions, including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes.

Direct Counseling Service Provision: Will implement the individualized counseling plan through an appropriate course of individual, group, couple and/or family readjustment counseling.

Will maintain an effective therapeutic relationship with eligible clients fully guided by professional ethics throughout the course of readjustment counseling.

Risk Assessment and Crisis Intervention: Will apply risk assessment procedures during the initial assessment and periodically throughout the planned course of readjustment counseling as required and appropriate.

For individuals identified from intermediate to high risk, the incumbent will work with the individual to develop a safety plan that identifies the precipitating life stressors and safety procedures identified by the client.

Will provide crisis case management services inclusive of coordinating services with the individual's family members.

Care Coordination: Will establish and maintain a network of community care relationships, internal and external to VA, to coordinate access to readjustment counseling through community referrals to the Vet Center, and to ensure that eligible individuals and/or family members receive the full spectrum of services to support the veteran's readjustment that are outside the scope of readjustment counseling.

In support of client care coordination, the incumbent maintains a general knowledge and understanding of the military experience and available VA benefits and services such as VA health care and VBA service-connected benefits.

Outreach: Will maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services for those individuals and family members engaged in the community at outreach events that may require follow-up readjustment counseling.

Team Cohesion and Coordination: Will actively participate in Vet Center staff meetings designed to promote team building and staff development through co-joint planning and problem solving, staff discussion of problematic cases, coaching and mentoring new hires.

Documentation/Consultation: Will document all clinical interactions with eligible individuals and episodes of care coordination on their behalf as required by RCS policy.

Will provide consultation services to other staff inclusive of other community partners. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am- 4:30 pm.

Some evenings and weekends required based on the needs of the Vet Center. Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Ad hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 473940, 438600 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker, Psychologist, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, and Marriage & Family Therapist.

Each discipline is announced separately, and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified.