NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker, Psychologist, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, and Marriage & Family Therapist. Each discipline is announced separately, and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified.

Duties

As a Marriage and Family Therapist you will ensure the delivery of evidence-based practices in suicide prevention and crisis intervention, applying the techniques of: Engagement, Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. The incumbent is expected to be able to provide crisis risk assessment skills in order to ensure the provision of emergency crisis interventions to a complex and high-risk population. The incumbent will also provide specialty consultation to and collaboration with a network of Veteran Crisis Lines, Suicide Prevention Coordinators across all regions nationwide and approved constituents (e.g., family, VA providers, Coaching into Care, Caregivers Support, Veterans Service Officers, law enforcement, etc.) to coordinate expedited connection to treatment programs support resources and emergency services as needed guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession. Duties will also include but not limited to: Demonstrates a wide variety of crisis intervention skill application through incoming/outgoing telephone calls. Ability to navigate a variety of specialized software applications, utilize the data and information within those applications to provide effective service, and accurately document work within those applications. Determines the appropriate level of care needed for the client. Contacts clients through telephone calls and conduct follow-up interviews. Works collaboratively with other members of the Readjustment Counseling Service Crisis Hotline Program to identify appropriate services to veterans and their family members. Assist clients and/or their family/friend/significant other with issues regarding the veteran's mental health issues, referrals, benefits, and support groups. Provide customer service to a variety of recipients from the call center from within the U.S. or any global area particularly those overseas at military bases and installations. Skilled in assessing whether a veteran client is of potential harm to self or others. Provides the customer with consistent and accurate information regarding established policies and handles conflicts and problems in a proactive and constructive manner. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm; some evening and weekends may be required based on the needs of the Vet Center. Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Marriage and Family Therapist GS-11 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. NOTE: This applies to the past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) only. HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or receiving VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC). 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: Candidates must meet one of the following:(1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE,(2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR(3) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0101 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. Grade Determinations: GS-11 Marriage and Family Therapist (Full Performance Level) - In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs listed below. OR, In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting. AND, the candidate must be licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSAs: Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members. Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy. This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality. Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs. Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements. Preferred Experience: Working with combat veterans in providing family counseling services; working with veterans who were sexually traumatized/harassed while in the military; conducting psycho-social assessments and the provision of processing psychotherapy for trauma related conditions; and implementing treatment plans for combat Veterans/and their families. References: VA Handbook 5005/101 Marriage and Family Therapist Qualification Standard Appendix G44 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally. Reaching above shoulder; Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day); Sitting (4-7 hours per day); Walking up to 6 hours per day); Standing (up to 8 hours per day); Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs; Some bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.

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 Readjustment Counseling Service 120 SE 6th Avenue, Ste. 102 Topeka, KS 66603 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]