This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (SLPMHC) in this position functions as the Case Manager for Mann-Grandstaff VAMC's Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers assigned to rural and remote areas in the Central Washington Corridor. A. Clinical Assessment Evaluates each Veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and priority for admission. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary plan, involving the Veteran and family or significant others,. Performs a thorough assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness which may also include, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and other high risks diagnoses. Interviews the Veteran and/or their family members 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. Reviews all data, subjective and objective and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Verifies the Veteran's eligibility for VA medical care, and eligibility of program participation. B. Comprehensive Case Management Is responsible for providing case management for a complex caseload of homeless Veterans in the HUD-VASH programs in rural and remote regions of Central Washington. Coordinates specialized provision of services not only for Veterans but also for Veterans' spouses, children, and family systems. Performs on-site visits of HUD-VASH apartments/housing units in rural and remotely separated communities to ensure that Veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes. Coordinates care including serving as an advocate on behalf of the Veterans and their family members to ensure comprehensive service delivery and linking and referring Veterans and families to the VA Medical Center, VA Regional Offices and/or community agencies. Develops psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the Veteran and/or their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment. Makes routine visits to each Veteran in their residence to assess their environment and provide on-going clinical services. 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. Refers Veterans to appropriate VA and other government/community services. Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs and consults with other specialists in planning treatment for Veterans with comorbidities. Implements the Housing First model within the HUD-VASH program. 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. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnoses, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral. Explains Veteran's treatment and progress to third parties and manages the quality control and evaluation of the professional services provided. Provides psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of those services. Modifies services to best meet the treatment needs of Veterans and to promote efficient practice and coordinates with other services offered in the treatment program. C. Program Administration and Organization Is responsible for program oversight, monitoring and administration, serving as the contact with local Public Housing Authorities (PHA's) and providing clinical case management to Veterans enrolled HUD-VASH. Responsible for data collection, administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements. Responsible to review the agreements between 5 Section 8 landlords, PHAs, and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for placements. Implements/maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD-VASH, Program Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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: 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. 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 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). Grade Determinations: Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12 Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling, or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial, and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients, rendering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills. Ability to teach, mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications. Ability to engage in written and oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession. Preferred Experience: Working with people experiencing homelessness. References:VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43 II-G43-1 [APPENDIX G43. LICENSED PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0183 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Operation of motor vehicle; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Use of computer screen; Environmental Factors: Outside and inside; Working closely with others; Working alone; Slippery or uneven walking surfaces;

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 Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4815 North Assembly Street Spokane, WA 99205 US
• Name: Delilah Black
• Phone: 215-823-5800 X6491
• Email: [email protected]