The Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) (Advanced) within the Mental Health Service at the Alaska VA Healthcare System (Alaska VAHCS) serves as a core member of a multi-disciplinary team. The MFT is responsible for providing family, couple and marriage counseling to Veterans within Alaska VAHCS. The MFT conducts intakes, assessment interviews, develops treatment plans, and provides treatment to eligible Veterans and their families.

Duties

Clinical Responsibilities: Screenings and Assessments -the MFT interviews Veterans and their significant others to determine specific problems. Independently conducts intake and needs assessment of Veterans and their significant others and establishes a relationship with the Veterans within the counseling setting. This includes making DSM diagnosis as appropriate to level of training. Treatment Planning and Goal Setting - The MFT is responsible for developing comprehensive and unique goal-directed treatment plans that reflect a course of therapeutic intervention to address the needs identified in the assessment. Clinical Counseling -The MFT provides individual, conjoint, family, couples and group therapy for Veterans and significant others, including the potential use of Evidence Based Psychotherapies. Crisis Intervention -The MFT will provide crisis intervention, stabilization, and follow-up for Veterans and significant others. This includes evaluation and management of suicidal/homicidal patients and other psychiatric emergencies. Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center as appropriate and may present outcome data as appropriate. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Remains involved in program evaluation. Maintains full clinical privileges as a member of the medical staff. Abides by Medical Staff By-Laws for own practice and via oversight for Medical Staff within the Mental Health Service Line. Professional Competency -The MFT will keep abreast of current state of the art procedures, processes, and date-driven treatment approaches, including VA trained Evidence Based Psychotherapies. Administrative Responsibilities: Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees. Serves on Medical Center, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces. Represents Mental Health Service Line on decision-making committees at the medical center. Represents the medical center at professional/program community groups/events and committees. Work Schedule: 8AM - 4:30PM, Monday - Friday Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for highly qualified applicants Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

May also be filled by a Senior Social Worker Internal -USAJOBS - Job Announcement External -USAJOBS - Job Announcement or a Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Internal -USAJOBS - Job Announcement External -USAJOBS - Job Announcement To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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: 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.) 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. 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. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. 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: Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12 (Advanced) Education, Experience and Licensure. Candidate must have successfully completed evidence based training in family therapy and must have graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program OR have passed the AMFTRE. Candidate must have at least five years of post-licensed clinical experience in delivery of family systems therapy including one-year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. This experience must demonstrate the use of an evidence based family therapy model while exhibiting progressive professional competency and expertise. Assignments requiring responsibility for providing clinical supervision must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs listed below. Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs): 1. Ability to provide specialized consultation for complex cases involving individuals, families and/or couples utilizing evidenced-based family systems theory/therapy. 2. Ability to provide crisis intervention which includes assessment, safety planning and complex treatment planning using independent clinical judgment utilizing family systems theory/therapy. 3. Ability to provide family systems therapy, which seeks to address Veterans and their family members on an individual level and deals with interpersonal interactions. 4. Ability to provide unlicensed MFT staff/trainees with systemic clinical supervision towards licensure from a family systems theory/therapy perspective. Preferred Experience: Experience providing individual psychotherapy. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, June 7, 2012 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying(15-44 lbs.), pushing, operation of a motor vehicle, ability to distinguish basic colors, and hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental factors include working outside and inside, working closely with others, and working alone.

Education

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

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 Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Gabriel Johnson
• Phone: (503) 220-8262 X53014
• Email: [email protected]