The Licensed Mental Health Counselor is an integral member of the BHIP Teams and the outpatient mental health services in the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), providing individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy, intake assessments, and Care Management as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team.

Duties

The LMHC manages a clinical caseload, and participates in the development and implementation of the Mental Health Treatment Plan. The LMHC functions as a Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC), serving as a point of contact and coordinator of services for the Veterans in their caseload. Some of the duties include, but are not limited to; Provides counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, couples, and families in collaboration with multidisciplinary mental health staff to serve Veterans as needed or assigned. Provides group counseling services in collaboration with multidisciplinary mental health staff for all Veterans seeking substance use disorder and mental health treatment. Serves as a MHTC for Veterans in their caseload, providing access as a Point of Contact and functioning as a care coordinator. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Willingly accepts additional and special assignments that are necessary to meet program goals or Veteran needs. Completes all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system in a timely and accurate manner, as appropriate. Serves on mental health committees or task forces. Represents the Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees. Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using data-driven quality assurance processes if assigned. Participates in ongoing performance improvement initiatives within their assigned Healthcare System track. May provide supervision for LMHC trainees and/or unlicensed LMHC staff. May participate in the training programs of other mental health trainees. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm. However, the selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis, based on the needs of the service and patient care. Telework: May be available - Ad Hoc (when necessary or needed) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (BHIP) #5012 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/29/2023. 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/. (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. English Language Proficiency: LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. 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). All persons employed in VHA in as LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Grade Determinations: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) 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. Preferred Experience: Those candidates with experience in individual and group psychotherapy, with one or more evidenced based therapies in depression and anxiety, and are experienced with completing clinical assessments and diagnosing are highly preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/106, Part II, Appendix G43 Physical Requirements: The position requires performance of work which involves light physical effort, such as that involved in lifting light files, walking, hearing (aid permitted), bending, standing, reaching, operating office equipment such as telephone, copier, fax machine, scanner, etc.

Education

Must 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.
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.

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 Orlando VA Medical Center 13800 Veterans Way Orlando, FL 32827 US
• Name: Christopher Cacciapaglia
• Phone: (407) 432-5810
• Email: [email protected]