This position will be part of the Mental Health Service at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center and will play a non-supervisory lead role in the context of the Mental Health Clinic's Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Team in the provision of specialty mental health outpatient care to Veterans. The position requires working with Veterans from all eras diagnosed with mental illnesses.

Duties

Duties include but may not be limited to: CLINICAL FUNCTIONS (70%) Independently conducts assessments. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Possesses the skills to offer psychosocial marital and family interventions and measure outcomes to interventions. Able to coordinate community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs. Participates in scheduling, triaging, and monitoring the flow of patients in the MHC and assisting with admissions of MHC patients to inpatient psychiatry unit when indicated. Recognizes emergency situations, summons appropriate help and responds appropriately including provision of case management services, liaison to family members and crisis intervention services. Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. General duties include, but are not limited to the following: assessment and referral services; design and preparation of diagnostic assessments; providing entry-level services for Veterans of all service eras; formulating and providing marital and family treatments; preparing initial and updated treatment plans; crisis management; case management; and planning for follow-up care after completion of treatment. The incumbent provides ethical couples, group and family mental health services to eligible combat and non-combat Veterans experiencing mental health symptoms. Participates in Measurement Based Care. May participate in Tele-mental-health or similar activities in order to provide service for Veterans who are located a prohibitive distance from VA facilities. For all clinical duties, the incumbent works in the Outpatient Division of the Mental Health Careline (MHCL). They participate in interdisciplinary team meetings for Veterans enrolled in Outpatient Mental Health Services. They interface with other departments and provide consultation services to medical center and CBOC staff on a wide variety of patient care issues, particularly related to identifying mental health concerns and social determinant needs of Veterans from all eras of service. The incumbent conducts evidence-based diagnostic assessment, and/or provides one or more evidence-based therapies for couples and families including but not limited to the following: Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT PTSD); Chillicothe VAMC FS#92128-A Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT); Behavioral Couples Therapy for SUD (BCT-SUD); Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT); Gottman Method Couples Therapy (GOTT); or Parenting STAIR (PSTAIR). Participation in any mental health couples and family therapy training recognized with broad support by a reputable governing board or body of mental health practitioners as efficacious would meet this standard. Gaining certification or specialization in one or more evidence-based therapies is highly encouraged within the first year. Special circumstances will be taken into account. Proper credentialing and licensure will assure the incumbent will operate independently in all areas, consulting with peers and supervisors when warranted. Case Management services can be a part of the job assignment as needed. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS (30%) The BHIP team lead marriage and family therapist has the following administrative responsibilities: a. Coordinates same day access for Veterans established within the BHIP Team. b. Works with the BHIP Team in the accomplishment of routine Team and unit activities. c. Conducts BHIP team huddles/meetings d. Actively participates in the team panel management and identifies stable patients to be referred back (discharge) to the PACT teams. e. Reviews DSS reports frequently as needed to identify patients needing biopsychosocial assessments/assessment updates, treatment plans and treatment plan updates. Chillicothe VAMC FS#92128-A f. Collaborates with the team RN or LPN in keeping track of secure messaging from Veterans. g. Completes customer services tasks such as patient advocate entries and other formal and informal complaints. h .Functions as a case manager for Veterans in the BHIP team with multiple missed opportunities, including "no-shows", to determine the best method to manage the patients' patterns of repetitive cancellations and no-shows. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Ad-hoc may be available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92128-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/17/2023. BASIC REQUIREMENTS 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, this part.) b. Education. Candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, (2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR, (3) 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. c. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0101 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT approved license. Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. ? 7401(3). This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. (1) MFTs that are not licensed at the time of appointment must become licensed at the independent level (Journey level) within three years of their appointment as a MFT. Most States require two years of post-graduate MFT experience as a pre-requisite to taking the licensure examination; VHA allows MFTs one additional year to pass the licensure exam. (2) It is VHA policy that a MFT who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be clinically supervised by an AAMFT approved licensed MFT at or above the journey level who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. d. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, unlicensed MFTs must actively pursue meeting State prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the Human Resource Officer will provide the unlicensed MFT with the written requirements for licensure, the date by which the license must be obtained, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to obtain a license by the prescribed date will result in removal from the GS-0101 MFT series and may result in termination of employment. e. Loss of Licensure. Once licensed, MFTs must maintain a full, current and unrestricted license to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS-0101 MFT series and may result in termination of employment. f. Physical Requirements. The work is sometimes sedentary. Typically, the employee will sit to perform administrative work. However, other position duties include physical requirements which include but not limited to, long periods of walking; standing; bending; crouching, reaching and lifting of a variety of moderately heavy items, carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; or driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. g. 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met. Grade Requirements: Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12 (Program Coordinator) Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment. MFT program coordinators of family programs must be trained in family systems therapy/theory. If the assignment is responsible for providing systemic clinical supervision for licensure the individual must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (b) below: Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet multiple deadlines, delegate tasks and facilitate team building. 2. Ability to manage and direct the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. 3. Ability to devise innovative ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, to develop staffing and budget requirements, and to translate management goals and objectives into well- coordinated and controlled work operations and ensure compliance with pertinent VHA policies. 4. Ability to establish and monitor performance priorities according to standards and program evaluation criteria. 5. Knowledge of family systems theory/therapy in coordination of family programs. Assignments. MFT Program Coordinators are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a specialty area as defined by the National Mental Health Office. Examples include RCS/Vet Centers, Homeless Veterans program and Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM). They coordinate the daily operations of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN and national use. At this level, MFTs are licensed to independently provide Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade 11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have graduated from a COAMFTE approved program OR have passed the AMFTRB examination. MFT Program Manager must have five years of post- licensed clinical experience in family systems theory/therapy and must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise. MFT Program Manager must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. Preferred Experience: The incumbent will have at least two years of specialized experience in marriage and family therapy, demonstrating possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G44, Job Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 12.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

PLEASE NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Chillicothe VA Medical Center 17273 State Route 104 Chillicothe, OH 45601 US
• Name: Nicole Huyghe
• Phone: 989-392-9239
• Email: [email protected]