Job opening: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Coordinator) - Intensive Outpatient Program
Salary: $87 602 - 113 879 per year
Published at: Nov 08 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Duties
Oversees and coordinates the day to day operations and implementation of the Intensive Outpatient Program for VACIHCS, with the ability to offer onsite and virtual services. Daily functions include, but are not limited to, monitoring and ensuring clinical coverage, tracking IOP attendance, providing group and other clinical coverage as needed, problem-solving challenges that may arise during programming.
The IOP provides 9 or more hours of intensive therapeutic programming each week including, but not limited to, groups and individual therapy sessions. Provides clinical supervision necessary for developing and implementing a successful therapeutic program for Veterans experiencing substance use and general mental health disorders and works closely with SUD CCC and outpatient SUD coordinator to ensure successful program implementation.
Provides technical and clinical oversight necessary for accomplishing the work of the substance use disorder treatment including program evaluation, performance improvement activities and modification of service patterns as indicated to improve the quality of care. Oversees the IOP adherence to Joint Commission and CARF standards of evaluation.
Develops policies and care processes for IOP and will work in coordination with the SUD continuum of care services at VACIHCS. establishes oversight responsibilities, and maintains a record-keeping system for the program including preparation of reports and surveys.
Advises the SUD CCC on goals, objectives, and needs of the facility to meet the goals of quality, effective and efficient substance use disorder care and treatment within IOP. Identifies gaps in the treatment continuum and effective strategies to meet those gaps. Collaborates with SUDCC to partner with VISN 23 leadership on the coordination of IOP care at the VISN level.
Provides group and individual therapy, and completes substance use assessments, psychosocial intakes, and treatment plans in a timely manner.
Develops comprehensive treatment plans establishing and maintaining therapeutic alliances, developing and providing clinically efficacious therapeutic treatment modalities with the use of evidence base practices. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the Veteran's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance, makes initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals.
Establishes a continuing relationship with Veteran and involved family members, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate. Meets with caregiver, Veteran, and/or family members to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals. Monitors progress, maintains comprehensive documentation, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders, and shows competent discretion in decision to adjust treatment.
Makes rapid assessments and develops crisis management plans to maintain the Veteran in the least restrictive level of care with the goal to maximize functioning in the community.
Provides feedback regarding clinical observations of staff within the IOP and Substance Use Disorder program to SUD CCC. Works closely with the supervisor on issues related to performance to ensure compliance with CARF, Joint Commission, Mental Health Uniform Service Package, VISN and local program requirements. Assists in planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures; developing individual or group goals and objectives as well as monitoring, operating, evaluating, coordinating and overseeing SUD staff.
Work Schedule: 0800-1630 4 days per week One day per week will be 1000-1830. Monday-Friday
Telework: Ad Hoc Only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact
[email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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 2 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-0183 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.
Loss of Licensure. Once licensed, LPMHCs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, which includes diagnosis and treatment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS-0183 LPMHC occupation and may result in termination of employment.
Grandfather Provision. All persons employed in VHA in as LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the 3 occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
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.
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.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, 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.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Qualification Standard (va.gov)
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.
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 VA Central Iowa Health Care System
3600 30th St
Des Moines, IA 50310
US
- Name: Breeze Hennes
- Phone: (320) 252-1670 X5222
- Email: [email protected]
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