This position is assigned to the Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (DRRTP). The assignment in the DRRTP can be in Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV), Dom Case Management (DCM) and Drug Abuse Program (DAP).

Duties

Duties Include: Clinical Functions: The incumbent (1) Must establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, substance abuse, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, post military readjustment issues, and psychosocial problems. (2) Must independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable. (3) Must actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a resident centered treatment plan. (4) Must possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/ side effects, and medical terminology. (5) Must facilitate discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner. (6) Must possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment and modalities, provide individual or group counseling and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families. (7) Must provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs, and advance directives. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community programs. (8) Must be available to provide consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identifies substance abuse problems on the Veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning. (9) Must maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies. (10) Must possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness. (11) Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. (12) Must possess basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. (13) Must possess knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Administrative Functions: The incumbent (1) Is responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 6), and the facility. (2) Is willing to serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and the service chief. (3) Is mindful of keeping their supervisor apprised of problems and recommend solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. (4) Is responsible for furthering one's own professional growth through continuing education and for ensuring continuing education appropriate to the area of assignment. (5) Is able to provide assistance with the orientation and learning of less experienced case managers and, if interested, to serve as a preceptor for students. (6) Is able to demonstrate knowledge and skill in the use of software applications for drafting documents and data management as well as other computer systems in use by the VHA. (7) Is able to maintain a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with LPC standards, Joint Commission standards, CARF and facility standards. (8) May be assigned other duties for the benefit of the program and or service line. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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/. Licensure. Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment. 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. The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level. This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9). For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Creditable experience Knowledge of Current LPMHC Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current mental health counseling practice. Experience satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice at the post- master's degree level, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional mental health counselor. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is post- master's degree experience as a mental health counselor directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to LPMHC experience at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a LPMHC is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a LPMHC employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post- graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., mental health counseling. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met: GS-9 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Entry Level): Experience, Education, and Licensure. The entry level is used for LPMHCs with less than one year of post-master's degree experience or for LPMHCs who are graduates, not yet licensed at the independent practice level. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. 3. 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. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 5. 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. 6. 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. 7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. 8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. 9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. GS-11 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Full Performance Level): Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least 1 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. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. 2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 3. 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. 4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. 5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. 6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 7. 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. 8. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/106 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Qualification Standard Appendix G43.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary.

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 Hampton VA Medical Center 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton, VA 23667 US
• Name: Colleen Clark
• Phone: (919) 354-9262
• Email: [email protected]