The Marriage and Family Therapist Program Manager, RCS Vet Center Director is responsible for the professional and administrative supervision and oversight of all readjustment counseling, outreach, referrals and follow-up care coordination services provided to eligible individuals within the designated Vet Center Service Area.

Duties

**The initial application cut-off for this job announcement is 50 applications. Applications received after the initial cut-off number (50 applicants) may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. If management requests additional applications, applicants will be reviewed in groups of 50 in the order they applied.** Major duties include: Administrative and outreach staff service functions. Oversees the fiscal, contractual and operational obligations of the community-based Vet Center. Leads coordination and briefing during meetings with Congressional representatives and their staff. Planning, establishing and implementing Vet Center policies and procedures. Coordinating and evaluating the work of all Vet Center staff. Assures that all supervised staff are aware of, and adhere to, all current VHA directives, state licensure standards, and VA-OIG expectations. Provides direct readjustment counseling services within and outside of the Vet Center to include in-person and virtual services based on client preference. Collaborates with divergent multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive client care. Communicates with and utilizes VAMC based services, community-based agencies, Veteran service organizations, and relevant programs external to the Readjustment Counseling Service. Implements professional clinical practice applications in the provision of readjustment counseling to individuals, families, and groups. Works directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship and complete all required readjustment counseling intake procedures. Develops and periodically updates an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions. Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses with approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk and initiates safety planning as appropriate. Links Veterans with services, resources and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence, health and well-being. Maintains active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral of clients engaged at community outreach events who may require follow-up readjustment counseling. Documents all clinical interactions and services delivered to eligible clients required by RCS policy. May perform other duties as assigned as appropriate for the grade and assignment and which are within the scope of practice. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc telework may be available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 78047-A/Marriage and Family Therapist (Program Manager) Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: Candidates must meet one of the following: 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 a MFT program from a regionally accredited 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 MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. English Language Proficiency: MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. AAMFT Approved Supervisor Credential: Assignments responsible for providing clinical supervision must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. Note: Per VA Notice 2022-08, AAMFT Supervisor Candidates have 2 years from date of placement into a Covered Assignment to obtain the designation. Selectees not possessing an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential must sign a Statement of Understanding upon appointment stating they have two years to complete this requirement. Grade Determinations: Marriage and Family Therapist (Program Manager), GS-13 Experience, Education, and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to that equivalent to the GS-12 grade level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment. MFT Program Manager must have graduated from a COAMFTE approved program OR have passed the AMFTRB examination. MFT Program Manager must have five years of post- licensed clinical experience in family systems theory/therapy and must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise. MFT Program Manager must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-13 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Skill in assessing qualifications and abilities of current and prospective employees to include staff performance evaluation and may include evaluations of lower level assignments and support staff. Ability to facilitate professional development of other MFTs across programs/or locations (i.e. CBOC, outpatient clinics, etc.) and guide them in current practice guidelines. Ability to collaborate with leaders of other disciplines within facilities, the community, VISN, and VACO. 11 Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives, reporting requirements and the ability to devise ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, staffing and budget requirements. This includes knowledge of VA policy and procedures as well as fair, principled and decisive leadership practices. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. Ability to clinically supervise in areas related to the provision of marital and family therapy services to accomplish organizational goals and objectives. Assignments: MFT Program Managers have broad program management responsibilities which include the operation and management of key clinical, training, or administrative programs. Responsibilities include development and implementation of programs, policies and procedures; oversight of administrative and programmatic resources; and monitoring of outcomes using a data driven quality assurance process. Decisions made affect staff and other resources associated with the programs managed and are made while exercising wide latitude and independent judgment. Such programs deliver specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components and significantly impact the health care provided to Veterans and their families. They have responsibility for staffing, work assignments, budget, clinical services provided and admission criteria for the program, day-to-day program operations and all reporting requirements. Additionally, program managers at this grade generally have collateral assignments determined by the needs of the local facility, RCS/Vet Center, the VISN, and or VACO. MFT Program Managers may also have full responsibility for oversight of the professional practice of MFTs to assure the highest quality of mental health care provided to Veterans and their families throughout the facility and affiliated clinics. This responsibility also includes insuring that all MFTs in the facility and its affiliated clinics meet the requirements of this qualification standard. At this advanced performance level, GS-13 MFTs are licensed to independently provide marital and family therapy services with program management responsibilities. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation. A pre-placement exam is not required. The position requires occasional travel away from the duty station in support of direct client care, outreach events, and/or training.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Readjustment Counseling Service 120 SE 6th Avenue, Ste. 102 Topeka, KS 66603 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]