The Licensed Professional Counselor assigned to the team is responsible for coordinating and providing specialty mental health counseling. The Licensed Professional Counselor conducts assessment interviews, develops treatment plans and provides treatment to eligible Veterans. Treatment modalities may include crisis intervention ,intake evaluations, outreach services as well as empirically based treatment for a variety of mental health conditions.

Duties

Assigned Duties but not limited to: Provide professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendations regarding the mental health care of Veterans for treatment planning and implementation of care. Develop , implement and document the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders. Provide comprehensive , evidence - based psychotherapeutic interventions , including individual , family, and group psychotherapy. Consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Facilitates patients and family education appropriate to the General Mental Health outpatient setting and the specific presenting mental health issues. Provide consultation services to professional staff within the VA Medical Center - Charleston and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans and patients. Assists the program director or coordinator in the design , development , and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers. Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services. Work Schedule: 8:00am- 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 53985F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: 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. 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-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 spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. 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). GS-11 Grade Determination: 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 for the GS-9 grade level as well as the following GS-11 KSAs: GS-9 KSAs: 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. 3. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life span. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 5. Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively. 6. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth. 7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. 8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. 9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied background. GS-11 KSAs: 1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. 2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 3. 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. 4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. 5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. 6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 7. 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. 8. 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. Preferred Experience: Previous experience working with patients with substance use disorders/dual diagnosis and facilitating groups, individual counseling sessions and treatment planning. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G43 dated April 3, 2018. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; light carrying, under 15 pounds; use of fingers; both hands required; walking, 2 hours; standing, 2 hours; both legs required; operation of motor vehicle; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable to 13: to 16: to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability.

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 Ralph H Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 109 Bee Street Charleston, SC 29401 US
• Name: Seve Irby
• Phone: (813) 614 -7811
• Email: [email protected]