The VA Central Iowa Health Care System is recruiting for one (1) full-time Early Intervention Substance Use Disorder Therapist for the Mental Health Service Line. This position may be filled by a Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, or Marriage and Family Therapist. This position is located at the Carroll VA Clinic, Knoxville VA Clinic, Marshalltown VA Clinic, Mason City VA Clinic, or the Fort Dodge VA Clinic.

Duties

--------Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) is available for this position------- The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. The Early Intervention SUD (Substance Use Disorder), clinician assumes responsibility for the provision of substance abuse services to veterans who are in need of substance abuse treatment. The services will be provided in outpatient settings, located in the Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC). The SUD clinician interviews patients/significant others and completes psychosocial assessments. The incumbent also completes a substance abuse assessment responding to substance abuse consults from medical and mental health providers within VA Central Iowa Healthcare System. The assessment will include data pertinent to the development of an effective treatment plan as stipulated in Joint Commission and CARF standards. The clinician will serve as a member to the multidisciplinary treatment team in the CBOC. In addition, the clinician will provide direct care and treatment where indicated and as such functions as a substance abuse treatment team member. Duties include, but are not limited to: 1. Conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members. 2. Conduct intake assessments for patients to determine appropriate VA program needs. 3. Active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. 4. Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. 5. Provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate. 6. Provide consultation/education to veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits. 7. Act as a consultant to other team/staff members. 8. Provide consultation/education to students of all disciplines on social work practice and VA policy and procedure. 9. Act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relations duties as needed. 10. Provide case management to veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care. 11. Provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. 12. Address Advance Directives and in accordance with the standards of their work area. 13. Provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate. 14. Supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker. 15. Coordinate treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for veterans. 16. Participate in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager. 17. Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, CARF, VA and medical center policy and procedures. 18. Assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death. 19. Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Ad Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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, 12/08/2023. 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. 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. Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT approved license. Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3). This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. English Language Proficiency. MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. 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: Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-9 (Entry Level) (a) Experience, Education and Licensure. The entry level grade is used for non-licensed MFTs or for MFTs (master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice (Journey) level. Unlicensed MFTs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed in paragraph 3b above, and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) in subparagraph (b) below. (b) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice and assessment tools. 2. Ability to assess, with supervision, the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members. 3. Knowledge to formulate, implement, and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system. 4. Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services, under supervision, to individuals, groups, couples and families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system. 5. Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy. 6. Ability to draft documents, manage data, maintain accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and track quality improvements. Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience, Education and Licensure. 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 in subparagraph (b) 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 to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSA. (b) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. References: VA Handbook 5005/106 Part II Appendix G44 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. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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 VA Central Iowa Health Care System 3600 30th St Des Moines, IA 50310 US
• Name: Callie Ross
• Phone: 515-699-5999 X23791
• Email: [email protected]