The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) is assigned to the Mental Health Clinic under the Ambulatory Care section of the Mental Health Service (MHS), reporting to the MHC Program Manager, MHS. This duty assignment requires initiative on behalf of the incumbent and the ability to prioritize tasks without immediate supervision. The position requires extensive work with Veterans diagnosed with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited, to: Clinical Functions: The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans with a wide range of mental health diagnoses and conditions. Incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families, and groups. Conducts bio-psychosocial assessments. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Possesses the skills needed to offer psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions. Able to coordinate community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs. Participates in scheduling, triaging, monitoring the flow of MH patients in the Mental Health Clinic. Recognizes emergency situations, summons appropriate help, and responds appropriately including assistance with crisis intervention services including admissions to acute psychiatric care, provision of case management services and liaison to family members. Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families. Incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group and family counseling and therapy skills. Contributes to interdisciplinary care planning conferences, and team huddles/meetings. Administrative Functions: Incumbent is responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility. Serves on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN, and/or VA Central Office levels. Keeps supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. Responsible for furthering one's own professional growth through education, appropriate to area of assignment, and providing coverage during absences of other therapists in the work unit. Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with facility and Social Work standards and the complexity of the assignment. Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings, appropriate facility meetings, and Social Work meetings. Shares knowledge and experiences gained from own clinical practice, and education relevant to the field of Social Work. Complies with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program and safety policies and procedures. Work schedule: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Monday through Friday) Telework: Ad Hoc Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Virtual: This is nota virtual position. Functional Statement Title: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. 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 degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE; OR hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from an MFT program from a regionally approved institution, OR 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-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license MFT license to independently practice marriage and family counseling 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 appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. Grade Determination: Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) 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. 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. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/101 PART II, APPENDIX G44 Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to exercise a high degree of emotional and mental discipline at all times in order to continue to carry out duties effectively. This is especially necessary during time periods when the incumbent encounters significant or extreme duress as a result of interactions with patients, etc.

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 Dayton VA Medical Center 4100 West Third Street Dayton, OH 45428 US
• Name: Tina George Osweiler
• Phone: (937)268-6511
• Email: [email protected]