The incumbent provides program coordination for Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors (LPMHCs) throughout the Mental Health Service Line (MHSL). The incumbent's duties include hiring, consultation on professional practice issues, outcome monitoring, performance improvement activities, and clinical duties.

Duties

Duties to include but not limited to: Works with Human Resources to recruit and hire LPMHCs. This includes rating applications, conducting behavioral interviews, conducting reference checks, communicating selections, and other activities necessary for timely hiring for LPMHC vacancies throughout the Atlanta VAHCS. Consults with clinical and administrative supervisors throughout the HCS on issues of LPMHC practice. This includes program development and/or consultation about individual staff as appropriate. Regularly reviews LPMHC Scopes of Practice to ensure they are up-to-date and accurate. Serves as a member of the MH Executive Council - including duties as assigned by the Chief of the MH Service line in this regard. Incumbent collaborates with personnel management in resolving employee complaints, grievances, or other related matters within the context of the professional union contract (NFFE), local policy, and appropriate personnel policies, procedures and requirements. Assists professional LPMHC staff in developing career goals and identifying appropriate continuing education activities and opportunities to facilitate the attainment of these goals. The incumbent will coordinate with the Mental Health Service Line and other appropriate staff as needed regarding the monitoring of performance improvement activities, program reviews, treatment services and data analysis methods. The incumbent will work to resolve informal complaints and grievances, develop work improvement plans, and provide advice and counsel to workers regarding work and administrative matters. The incumbent will have established guidelines and performance expectations for staff that are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. The incumbent will conduct ongoing intensive reviews to ensure objectives are met and standards are adhered to. A substantial portion of the workload directed by this position is carried out at one or more locations that are physically removed from the main VAMC under conditions that make day-to-day supervision challenging to administer. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm 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. 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: GS-12: Lead Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor 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 (c) 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. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In depth knowledge of the program coordinated, and demonstrated knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and or practice guidelines for the program. Ability to make key decisions in the hiring and identification of top candidates. Ability to provide leadership in facilitating the process of coordinating program consults, assessments, admissions, care assignments and discharges. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to other colleagues and trainees within the field of counseling working on an interdisciplinary team. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43 Physical Requirements: The applicant must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others.

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 Atlanta VA Medical Center 1670 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 US
• Name: Christie Lowery
• Phone: 205-554-2000
• Email: [email protected]