The position is located in the Behavioral Health (BH) Service's Outpatient program at the Mobile Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Mobile, AL. BH provides ambulatory care services to mentally ill and/or substance abusing Veterans and their significant others. If you are a current, permanent VA employee, or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12128792-23-ER.

Duties

Duties of the LPMHC, may include but are not limited to: A. Assessment: Conducts intake screenings and evaluations of Veterans and their significant others. Uses the established biopsychosocial admissions criteria to determine the appropriateness of Veterans referred to the BHC for service in the different treatment components. Performs a comprehensive intake assessment and evaluation that satisfy Joint Commission (JC) standards and provides clinically meaningful information related to the specific cognitive - social learning treatment approach used in the BHC. Continues to reassess and monitor the status of problematic behaviors while the patient is in treatment; routinely evaluates the impact that therapeutic interventions have on patient problems; assesses patients' progress toward meeting treatment goals and objectives; determines the need for additional assessment of specific problem areas; conducts and documents a discharge assessment that summarizes the extent to which each problem is resolved and the extent to which additional treatment is needed; and schedules and monitors specimen collection for assessment of substance abuse. B. Treatment: Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy, as well as crisis intervention. Conducts short, medium, long-term in-depth counseling and facilitates both open-ended, process groups; and time-limited, closed, structured groups for patients with substance abuse problems, mental health problems, or co-morbid conditions. May also facilitate group counseling, to include facilitating an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Provides crisis intervention and stabilization to patients and significant others. Develops and, as needed, revises treatment plans. C. Case Management: The role of the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) is to coordinate treatment activities to ensure that each patient is provided with an individualized, integrated, biopsychosocial approach to case management. LPMHC will: 1. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her caseload. 2. Write a diagnostic summary which integrates biopsychosocial assessment data in a manner that leads to the development of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan specific to the BHC treatment model. 3. Participate in the development of the comprehensive treatment plan, discuss the plan with patients, and ensure that the plan is current and complete. 4. Reassess each patient as needed in order to determine the status of current clinical problems, current needs, and responses to treatment. Takes action to communicate findings with relevant BHC staff and initiates action to modify treatment, when indicated. 5. Gather data during these assessments and progress review sessions in order to help make decisions regarding: a) the need for further assessment by the BHC or Medical Center staff; b) the need to revise the patient's comprehensive treatment plan; c) the patient's readiness to move on to the next treatment week; and d) the appropriateness of referring to a residential facility. Will also ensure that the patient has adequate housing and that his or her basic needs for food and shelter are met and if not, appropriate referrals will be made in order to secure those resources. 6. Handle requests of an administrative nature and act as the patient's primary contact person (e.g., requests for consultations, misunderstandings regarding program policies, rules, procedures, communications to and from staff, etc.); recommend actions concerning necessary controls and restrictions to enhance therapeutic effectiveness for individuals, groups, and the patient community; give patients feedback as to their status and progress in the treatment program. 7. Conduct a discharge assessment, create a discharge plan, and ensure a referral/contact with a follow-up agency. D. Program and Staff Development: Participates in the administrative/clinical functions of the program such as quality assurance, policy and procedure development, program planning and preparation of reports. Maintains accurate records and data needed for local and national reports. Responsible for designing and conducting group therapy sessions; recommending methods to improve the quality, quantity, and integration of treatment services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Recruitment/Relocation incentives: Not Authorized Functional Statement #: 520-00553-F Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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-0101 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. NOTE: It is VHA policy that a LPMHC who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. 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 (Entry Level): 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 listed in paragraph 3.b., and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate all of 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. 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 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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, Part II, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Qualification Standard Appendix G43. Preferred Experience: Experience with outpatient general mental health 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Light lifting/carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, both hands required, walking/standing/repeat bending (1 hour), Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near Vision (correctable), Far Vision (correctable), Hearing (aid permitted). Environmental factors include working closely with others and working alone. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services).

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 Biloxi VA Medical Center 400 Veterans Avenue Biloxi, MS 39531 US
• Name: Erin Rankin
• Phone: 501-918-1245
• Email: [email protected]