The Addiction Therapist is assigned to the Temple Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine service. Primary duties include initial biopsychosocial assessment, treatment planning, and psychological treatment to Veterans with a wide range of co-occurring disorders, including but not limited to anxiety, PTSD, depression, substance use, and personality disorders.

Duties

The Addiction Therapist for whom this functional statement applies is assigned to Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine Service. In addition to providing direct patient care, this Addiction Therapist does not have assigned collateral research obligations or supervisory responsibilities. Direct Patient Care Functions: - Assists with gathering biopsychosocial assessment information. - Assists the team with assigned patients, including day to day clinical issues or patient problems and brings the problems or issues to the attention of treatment team. - Assists with development of a detailed treatment plan for veterans, with input from the interdisciplinary team. - Assists with recovery planning and psychological treatment for veterans with a wide range of co-occurring disorders, including but not limited to anxiety, PTSD, depression, substance use, and personality disorders. - Assists patients in accepting their substance abuse/mental illness and motivates them to comply with treatment goals and objectives in order to prevent relapse and maintain stability. - May assist in conducting screening interviews with veterans for admission into the program. - Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team. - Facilitates and assists with educational groups and individual or family sessions. - Administers/scores or evaluates measurement based care, under oversight of clinical supervisor. - Participates as a member of medical center hospital committees as directed, in accordance with developmental level. - Serves as an advisor, consultant and/or resource person to the staff within the medical center, in accordance with developmental level. - Maintains appropriate records and follow-up data on patients who are their responsibility. - Serves as a member of the planning group for evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment program and modifying it to better serve the needs of the patient. - Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. - Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes, completing encounters, and signing or co-signing notes). - Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings as held by CTVHCS and MH&BM management. - Attends regular staff meetings, MH&BM Staff meetings and complies with peer review procedures. - With support of team members, manages inappropriate patient behavior or crises in a therapeutic manner, seeking assistance from other staff as needed. - Actively participates in recreational outings and patient activities, assuming the responsibility of ensuring patient safety and security. - Performs other duties, as assigned. Supervisory Controls: The Addiction Therapist acts under the overall oversight of the supervisory program manager of their assigned area/program. His/her work is reviewed for adherence to the general fulfillment of Medical Center and Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine Service objectives and policy. At the Bachelor's level, the Addiction Therapist is a dependent provider under clinical supervision of an LMAT or state approved supervisor. The incumbent consults with supervisors and other members of the MHBM team as necessary in developing knowledge and in applying agency policies and practices in new situations. Customer Service Requirements: - Relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public are consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature. - The Addiction Therapist will display a cooperative attitude and will effectively work together to implement the organization's mission and goals. - The Addiction Therapist will ensure productivity is maintained at the established level for the program for which he/she is responsible. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 bachelor's degree in drug and alcohol studies or a related behavioral health field from an accredited college or university. In some jurisdictions, individuals may not be required to hold a bachelor's degree to be licensed in Alcohol and Drug Treatment. VHA will not waive education requirements even if the candidate has a license that does not require a bachelor's degree. Licensure. Licensure Requirements: Individuals appointed or reassigned to an AT position in the GS-0101 series must: (a) Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license in a state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia to practice in the field of Alcohol and Drug Treatment; AND (b) Complete one of the following: i International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Certification; or ii National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, National Certified Addiction Counselor Level 1. Foreign Education. There is no substitution for foreign education for this occupation; therefore, foreign education evaluation is not applicable. Physical Standards. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. English Language Proficiency. AT/LMAT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Grade Determinations: Addiction Therapist (Bachelor's Level) GS-05: Experience. The entry level assignment is used for ATs who are licensed with less than one year of experience. There is no experience outside of the basic requirements. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). None Addiction Therapist (Bachelor's Level) GS-07. Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR Education (Advanced Entry Level Placement). Applicants who meet the GS-05 grade level may be appointed at the GS-07 grade level if they possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study in a drug and alcohol studies or a related behavioral health field with an exemplary academic record as demonstrated by: (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on four years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; OR (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum; OR (c) Class Standing: Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university or major subdivision based on completed courses. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience/education requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs. (a) Knowledge of principles, concepts and methods of counseling and therapies used in treatment of individuals with SUDs. (b) Knowledge of appropriate documentation of substance use history and treatment. (c) Ability to identify patients who are in psychological distress. Addiction Therapist (Bachelor's Level) GS-09. Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of coexisting medical or other mental health disorders as interrelated to SUDs. (b) Ability to complete assessments of substance use disorders, treatment planning and continued care planning. (c) Ability to develop and maintain effective working or therapeutic relationships with multidisciplinary staff, Veterans and their families, from various backgrounds and community resources to ensure appropriate referrals. Preferred Experience: Experience within a residential/inpatient setting. Experience with group psychotherapy. Experience incorporating measurement-based care into treatment. Experience working on complex clinical setting. Experience with suicide risk stratification Experience with referring or collaborating for higher level of care. References: VA Handbook 5005/155, PART II, APPENDIX G76 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-09. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

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.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]