The Assistant Chief of Mental Health Service (MHS) is directly responsible for the effective management, functioning, and coordination of patient care services throughout all areas of the medical center MHS staff are assigned. The incumbent works collaboratively with the Chief, MHS and other service line administrative personnel to develop, evaluate and maintain effective mental health services and programming throughout the medical center and in selected community-based settings.

Duties

The service provides extensive outpatient mental health services through the Mental Health Clinic (MHC) including treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder through the PCT, Military Sexual Trauma, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injury, treatment for Serious Mental Illness (SMI)through medication management, evidence-based therapies, couples therapy, neuropsychology evaluations, and Peer Support Specialist services. In addition, the service also offers Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program Rural Area Network Growth Enhancement (MHICM RANGE),Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program including transitional and supportive employment programs, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), Substance Abuse Aftercare, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Program, Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) and Mental Health Emergency Department Walk-In Clinic. Additional services include health promotion and disease prevention, homeless Veteran programs, geriatric services, and community outreach. Duties include, but not limited to: Provides leadership, guidance, and coordination of multidisciplinary staff to ensure the provision of comprehensive and quality services to meet the needs of Veterans served. Goals follow the mission/vision of the Veterans Administration (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), Western North Carolina VA Health Care System and program direction of the Mental Health Service Plans and schedules work in a manner that promotes a smooth flow and even distribution. Coordinates, plans, and schedules with staff, the Section Chiefs, and customers as appropriate. Identifies need for changes in priorities and takes action to implement such changes. Oversees all operational aspects of the MHS including hiring, business operations, strategic planning, development and implementation of policies and procedures, and budget management, and exercises a very wide latitude of independent judgment in these duties. Serves as Coordinator of the MHS Performance Improvement Program. In this capacity, the incumbent works closely with the medical center 's Quality Management (QM) Manager and functions as the liaison between the QM Office and MHS. Provides information and direction to MHS staff regarding performance improvement and accreditation (Joint Commission and GARF) issues, assists in MHS preparation for accreditation visits, and provides timely, thorough, and accurate performance improvement reports to the MHS Chief. Provides leadership in hiring of new staff members for each program, which may include constructing job announcement(s), preparing functional statements or position descriptions, rating applications, interviewing, and selecting final job candidates. Serves on decision-making committees and task forces at the medical center. Conducts diagnostic evaluations by clinical interview, objective and/or projective testing, intellectual assessment, organicity screening, and behavioral observation. Interprets and integrates the findings with all other available patient data and writes these outcomes incomprehensive psychological evaluations. Functions independently as a member of the medical staff, with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Remains thoroughly cognizant of the latest professional techniques and developments in the assigned specialty area and is able to apply them, when suitable to their work. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30AM-4:00PMTelework: Ad-hoc; at discretion of Service Chief Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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 Requirement: You must 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. Grade Determinations:Minimum Qualifications: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Assistant Chief) GS-14: Experience, Education and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. They must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-13 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge and skill in management/administration of multidisciplinary mental health programs at complex facilities and/or across multiple sites which includes supervision, consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. Demonstrated global knowledge of mental health counseling practice to develop, maintain, and oversee programs in all settings. Ability to provide consultation on policy implementation, qualification standards, counseling practice, and competency with medical center director, VISN, or national program managers that are consistent with organizational goals and objectives. Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and mental health practice guidelines in multiple professional areas, and the ability to use these resources to guide the program staff in providing appropriate treatment interventions. Ability to influence high level officials in adoption of, and conformance to, performance measures, monitors, and other policy guidelines. Preferred Experience: Strong supervision skills References: VA Handbook 5005/106 Part II Appendix G43 Physical Requirements: Duties performed require some physical effort such as sitting, standing, driving, walking, bending, typing, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, books, or reports that do not require special physical demands. The work requires typical safety precautions associated with working in the community and mental health care settings, such as, patient physical or verbal interactions, driving a Fleet vehicle, working with office equipment, and avoiding real or potential accidents. The work may also require occasional travel to local area satellite facilities and/or out of town/state for required/suggested training, conferences or meetings.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Christina Trull
• Phone: 828-318-6521
• Email: [email protected]