The VA Cheyenne Health Care System is recruiting for a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) practitioner, located in Cheyenne, WY. This is a multi-discipline position and selections can be made from the following: Psychologist, Social Worker or Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor.

Duties

The incumbent functions a full-performance level Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) within the Cheyenne VA Health Care System (CVAHCS). The incumbent provides a combination of General and Specialty Mental Health services at the assigned location. Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Therapists provide general mental health services, including supportive counseling and limited evidence informed treatment at a frequency that is typically no more than 1x week, while Specialty care is goal-focused, diagnosis-specific evidence based treatment that is provided on a weekly basis for the duration of the evidence-based protocol. The incumbent functions as a collaborative member of the interdisciplinary BHIP team, providing high quality, collaborative, and coordinated mental and behavioral health care to Veterans. The incumbent employs a variety of psychological, rehabilitation, social work, counseling, and mental health techniques which are within the scope of the incumbent's licensure, including but not limited to individual, group, couples, and family treatment. Major duties of the position include: - Provides initial assessments and follow up counseling and therapy services within the scope of the BHIP model of care. - Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans, identifying their strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. - Provides interventions with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. - Formulates and implements a treatment plan in collaboration with the Veteran and families/caregivers when appropriate; participates in interdisciplinary review of ongoing treatment of assigned Veterans on an annual and as-needed basis. - Provides a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy, within scope of licensure. - Provides crisis intervention when indicated, including timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. - Provides ongoing documentation of Veteran's treatment progress using a psychosocial and behavioral framework. - Provides clinical case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans. - Works collaboratively with Interdisciplinary Treatment Teams. Establishes and sustains collaborative relationship with BHIP providers and other team members providing care to assigned Veterans. - Serves on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. - Provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans, offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise, and role modeling effective social work practice skills. - Attends Mental Health Service Line and Social Work Discipline meetings and other mandatory meetings regularly. - Assists in identifying and carrying out continuous process review projects to improve the safety and quality of care provided to Veterans. Maintains current BLS and/or First Aid certification and remain current on all licensures. - Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be considered with supervisory review and approval Telework: May be considered with supervisory review and approval Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD53419 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. 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/. 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-183 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, 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. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, LPMHCs must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed within three years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0183 LPMHC series and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency: LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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 as listed above and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. GS-9 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate 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 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; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 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. GS-11 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must demonstrate 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 students 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. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced-based practices and screening/assessment. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/106 Part II, Appendix G43, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor qualification standards. 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: Must be able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity, must be able to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens.

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 Cheyenne VA Medical Center 2360 East Pershing Boulevard Cheyenne, WY 82001 US
• Name: Tiffany Mansell
• Phone: 407-631-8640
• Email: [email protected]