The HUD-VASH Case Manager is a critical position within the Lexington VA Health Care System. Under the direction of the Homeless Program Manager and Chief of Mental Health, this case manager will coordinate and provide intensive clinical case management services to move veterans and their families out of homelessness. The HUD-VASH case manager has experience that demonstrates possession of advanced independent practice skills.

Duties

The incumbent serves as the medical center's primary point of contact for the National HUD VASH Program, Office of Mental Health Services, VACO. The incumbent is responsible for data collection, administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements. Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: The incumbent establishes, implements, and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD VASH veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs. The incumbent regularly conducts and participants in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and "on the streets," as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. The incumbent develops the screening procedures to involve a multidisciplinary team approach and is responsible to ensure criteria and procedures are maintained. The incumbent provides primary input for program participant selection based on structured interviews and clinical assessments. The incumbent maintains current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate, represents VA at community service provider meetings. The incumbent evaluates the veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and prioritization for admission. The incumbent assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary plan, involving the veteran and family or significant others, and performs an insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness which may also include, catastrophic medical condition, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and other high risks diagnoses. The incumbent interviews the veteran and their family members or significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veterans functioning and health. The incumbent reviews all data, subjective and objective and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Based on the psychosocial assessment, the incumbent uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. The incumbent provides referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. The incumbent provides referrals or consults, or in some cases direct admission of the veterans prior to HUD-VASH participation, for other VA programs including community-based residential treatment such as Grant and Per Diem (GPO) Programs, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) contract residential treatment, Domiciliary or Psychiatric Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (PRRTP), or Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Compensated Work Therapy Transitional Residence (CWT/TR)Programs. The incumbent assists veterans in maintaining appointments at VA medical centers and other community agencies for medical, psychiatric, substance abuse, vocational and other services consistent with veteran's goals associated with healthful independent living. The incumbent refers veterans to appropriate VA and other government/community services-including local shelters, food banks, employment services, veteran's benefits, and social security applications. The incumbent assists veterans who encounter problems obtaining services from the VA and other service delivery agencies through advocacy, linking, and/or by assisting with their problem solving/social interaction skills. The incumbent participates in the assignment of veterans to treatment teams and programs and consults with other specialists in planning treatment for veterans with comorbidities. The incumbent documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral. Work Schedule: 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Ad-Hoc as determined by agency policy. Travel Required: 25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 30343-F LPMHC (HUD-VASH) Case Manager/Coordinator Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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: 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 Requirement : You must have 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: Candidates 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. Loss of Licensure: Once licensed, LPMHCs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, which includes diagnosis and treatment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS- 0183 LPMHC occupation and may result in termination of employment. Experience - In addition to the basic requirements candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills, judgment, and competency. Assignments: At this level, LPMHCs administratively supervise their licensed staff and/or graduates and are considered LPMHC subject matter experts and may serve as the discipline lead. LPMHCs may provide treatment to patients. They direct the development and implementation of services and treatment to patients through the administrative supervision, mentoring, and oversight of assigned clinical staff. Their experience must demonstrate practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. This position is filled with a professional mental health counselor with a master's degree in mental health 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; and Marriage and Family Therapy. The professional mental health counselor license of the incumbent must be such that based on state licensing law; the incumbent is able to provide mental health services such as psychotherapy, DSM diagnosing and mental health treatment plans. Must be a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC). Knowledge of the principles and theoretical concepts of professional mental health counseling. Keeps up to date on new issues, trends and treatment techniques pertinent to their area of professional mental health counseling practice. Familiarity with Professional Mental Health Counseling community practice standards and current trends in professional mental health counseling assessment and treatment is required. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: a). Ability to monitor program outcomes using data driven quality assurance process. b). Ability to manage a wide range of programs which include the operation and management of key clinical, training or administrative programs. c). Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. d). 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. e). 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. f). Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. g). 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. h). 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. i). Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. j). Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. k). Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005/106, Part II, Appendix G43 GS-0183 Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office Physical Requirements: Light lifting, light carrying, use of fingers, hearing (aid permitted), operation of a motor vehicle may be required. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

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 Lexington VA Health Care System 2250 Leestown Road Lexington, KY 40511 US
• Name: Paulette Stewart
• Email: [email protected]