Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Full Job Description

The Bay Pines VA Health Care System (BP VAHCS), a Complexity facility, is a general medical and surgical institution.

It is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology, as well as education and limited research.

Comprehensive healthcare is provided through primary care and long-term care in the areas of dentistry, extended care, medicine, neurology, oncology, pharmacy, rehabilitation, physical medicine, psychiatry, and surgery.

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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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.

NOTE: It is VHA policy that a LPMHC who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.

Exception: VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure.

This exception only applies up to the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed.

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: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-9: 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 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 6 of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices.

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. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-11: 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.

In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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 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 Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12: Experience, Education, and Licensure.

In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.

Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs Preferred Experience: Experience working with Veterans in crisis.

Experience in engagement with community agencies. Experience developing partnerships.

Experience in facilitation presentations and trainings Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS9 to GS12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Major Duties:

Major duties, but are not limited to: Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions to include individual, group, couples and family psychotherapy to promote improved functioning within the individual and/or family/relationship.

Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others.

Provides consultation to professional staff within the assigned program concerning clinical findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients.

Timely and accurately develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders.

Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical findings, patient care decisions.

Develops patient education materials/modules and assists with Veteran Peer and Family activities as assigned.

Upon direction from BPVAHCS leadership, and in support of the VA patient care mission, conducts patient care services through telehealth mediums, to include, but not limited to face-to-face, telephonic, and video encounters.

Responsible for completing current suicide awareness and prevention related training and demonstrating ability to implement associated suicide prevention screening, evaluation and safety planning, as indicated.

Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screenings and completion of clinical reminders for all patients, as indicated.

Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Program Manager, Service Chief, Chief of Staff and Facility Director, etc.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 21239F, 20599F, & 21119F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized