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

Major Duties include but are not limited to: Administratively responsible for clinical programming and daily operation of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, as well as the management of program data. Schedules, prioritizes and manages the daily operations of all facets of the program including outreaches to jails, court appearances, education of local police/probation and follow up coordination between VA and legal system partners. Develops policies and procedures, and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. Responsible for the quarterly Medical Executive Leadership VJO report, quarterly Trip Pack updates, monthly outreach reports, daily ADTS reporting, weekly Veteran treatment court reports, and monthly CARF reporting on community education. Supervise unlicensed graduate LPMHCs and may administratively manage any employees assigned to their program. Develops, maintains, and coordinates formal relationships such as Veteran treatment courts, Domestic Relations Service proceedings, and specialized treatment courts with area with judges, officers of the court, correctional administrators and probation staff. Meets with community partners on a regular basis to design and/or maintain appropriate policies and procedures required for each setting. Attends justice system staff trainings relevant to working with offenders and high risk populations and represents the VA at community meetings, seeking or maintaining membership on relevant boards, councils and task forces. Collaborates with other Justice Outreach clinicians as well as other community contacts to support engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from correctional institutions. Administratively participates in the Erie VAMC Disruptive Behavior Committee (DBC), including MCM and Policy oversight and development, chairing the monthly interdisciplinary team meeting with physician, police chief, HR, and clinical staff membership. Responsible for implementing national policy recommendations. The Coordinator is responsible for timely professional responses to Congressional, White House, FOIA, and Veteran requests for information concerning DBC matters, and is responsible for all official facility communication as result of DBC review. Conducts active outreach to Veterans involved with the justice system, including those who may be participants, or candidates for participation, in treatment court programs, including Veterans Courts. Conducts justice-related staff development programs for mental health and other program staff, and provides opportunities for staff to update their mental health professional knowledge and practice skills. Provides training and guidance to entry level staff and graduate students. Provides psychosocial assessments, case management services, continuous quality improvement activities, evaluation/consultation, placement services, and referral and linkage to various community agencies for Veterans who are within 6 months of release from correctional institutions and/or are being monitored by the courts, including treatment or problem solving courts. Assesses high risk factors, acuity, and the need for services. Serve Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support. Identifies and interviews justice-involved Veterans in the appropriate setting to conduct needs assessment and determine appropriate referrals, linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance function in the community, including in transition from jail or prison. Establishes a relationship with correctional medical and psychiatric leadership and personnel, where appropriate, to ensure continuity of care and for appropriate back-up, if needed, when encountering Veterans in a correctional institution. May perform work in maximum, medium, or minimum security correctional institutions usually under a "no hostage" policy. Observes established VA safety precautions while working in correctional facilities and/or in community settings. Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Not Available Telework: Available - Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator 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: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Coordinator), GS-12: 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-11 grade level. Experience must have been in a major specialty treatment program area such as, but not limited to, Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), mental health intensive case management (MHICM), or other areas of equivalent scope and complexity. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Assignments: LPMHC Program Coordinators are administratively responsible for a clinical program and provide treatment to patients in a major specialty. They manage the daily operations of the program, develop policies and procedures, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They may supervise unlicensed graduate LPMHCs and may administratively manage any employees assigned to their program. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the above requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work requires sitting, bending, stooping, and walking consistent with the delivery of services in the office, hospital, and community. The case manager must be able to operate and transport Veterans in a Government Vehicle. This position requires driving Veterans throughout the Erie VAMC catchment area. 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, it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, family members, representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. Driver License: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position.

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 Erie VA Medical Center 135 East 38th Street Erie, PA 16504 US
• Name: Ahsha Konate
• Phone: 412-822-1454
• Email: [email protected]