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 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor is licensed to independently practice professional counseling and to provide Mental Health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling. They may be assigned to any Mental Health VHA area, including inpatient, outpatient, and SUD/residential areas, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. The incumbent will provide a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnose mental health disorders. The LPMHC exercises full professional responsibility to provide effective services to Veterans with substance use disorder or mental health disorders. These services include, but are not limited to, individual, group and family psychotherapy, patient health education, referral, aftercare planning, and follow up. The LPMHC employs recovery and evidence-based practices. LPMHC's may be involved in program evaluation or research activities. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: Clinical Responsibilities: 1. Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders. 2. Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others. 3. Provides evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy 4. Provides consultation to professional staff and to community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients with substance use disorders. 5. Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for patients receiving services within designated treatment areas. 6. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Administrative responsibilities: 1. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team. 2. Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services. 3. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. 4. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). 5. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the M/BHS ACOS (or designee), Chief of Psychology (or designee), and facility Director. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000/ Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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. Licensure:Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0101 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. English Language Proficiency: LPMHCs must be proficient in spoke and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) 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 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. Demonstrate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho-education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/106, PART II, APPENDIX G43The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work requires sitting, bending, stooping and walking consistent with the delivery of services in the office, hospital and community. The position may entail lifting of no more than 25 pounds on an occasional basis. Whenever possible, carts and dollies will be utilized as an alternative to lifting. In carrying out responsibilities, operation of a motor vehicle with a valid driver's license is required. The incumbent must meet the requirements to use a government vehicle in accordance with VHA directive 2008-020. It may be necessary for the incumbent to travel throughout the Altoona VAMC catchment area where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, family members, representatives of community health, welfare and law enforcement agencies.

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 Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center 1111 East End Boulevard Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 US
• Name: Beverly Gurdock
• Phone: (570) 824-3521 X24174
• Email: [email protected]