Gero/Neuro/Health Program Clinical Director (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor) Job in Atlanta, GA

Vacancy No. CBTB-12793415-25-JMM Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $112,045.00 to $145,665.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/3/2025 Close Date 9/12/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Atlanta, GA


Summary

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.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

**OPEN TO CURRENT ATLANTA VA FACILITY EMPLOYEES ONLY**

Duties

**OPEN TO CURRENT ATLANTA VA FACILITY EMPLOYEES ONLY**

The incumbent provides program management to programs and staff within the Gero/Neuro/Health Program in the Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) of the Atlanta VA Health Care System. This is done under the direction of the Director of the Gero/Neuro/Health Program, who serves as immediate supervisor. The incumbent's duties include program development, consultation, outcome monitoring, performance improvement activities, and management of day-to-day activities on the teams. The incumbent additionally has direct supervision for a group of staff that may include supervision of psychologists, social workers (SWs), Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors (LPMHCs), and psychiatrists and may supervise administrative or other staff. This supervision may be in the form of being assigned as direct supervisor of record or supervising day-to-day work of staff within the terms of an MOU with another service line.

FUNCTIONS:
Essential Program Management Responsibilities:
-The incumbent has broad management responsibilities and assists in coordinating the work of staff across programs at multiple locations including direct supervision of staff.
-The incumbent will have supervisory authority over administrative support staff as assigned.
-The incumbent assists the Gero/Neuro/Health Program Director in planning, establishing and implementing policies and procedures.
-The incumbent provides leadership and guidance in carrying out program planning, outcome evaluation, and staff development activities.
-The incumbent will coordinate with the Director and other appropriate staff as needed regarding the monitoring of performance improvement activities, program reviews, treatment services and data analysis methods.
-The incumbent will assist in ensuring that performance measures are met, Evidence-Based treatments are implemented, and Recovery-oriented principles are adopted to achieve an optimal level of functioning for veterans.
-The incumbent has direct administrative and professional supervisory responsibility for direct subordinates and provides day-to-day supervision of the activities of other staff(SWs) through an MOU with the appropriate service line.
-The incumbent will work to resolve informal complaints and grievances, develop work improvement plans, and provide advice and counsel to workers regarding work and administrative matters.
- The incumbent will have established guidelines and performance expectations for staff that are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system.

Clinical Responsibilities:
- Provides a full range of diagnostic, assessment and treatment services to veterans presenting with psychological, emotional and behavioral problems, with special emphasis on brief and evidence-based interventions appropriate to the GMH treatment setting.
- Provides consultation services for GMH providers to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions.
- Facilitates patient and family education as appropriate.

Academic/Teaching/Training:
- Provide clinical consultation to various disciplines and levels of training to include psychologists, social workers, LPMHC's, clinical nurse specialists, and psychiatry residents, and HPTs of all disciplines within the MHSL.
- May be involved in the LPMHC Internship Training Program as a clinical supervisor.
- May provide didactic trainings to MHSL as appropriate,
- May be involved in the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students and fellows, as appropriate.
- Provide leadership, guidance, and consultation on staff education and development.

Research/Program Evaluation:
- Responsible for timely completion of all program evaluations and documents required by the Medical Center, VISN and VACO, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies such as JC.
- Consults with others to offer guidance and stimulation in research directions for recovery-oriented research and program evaluation within the MHSL.
- Plans and oversees the completion of research programs, designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches.
- Serves on committees and workgroups at the request of Director or MHSL Leadership.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, day tour
Telework: Ad-hoc available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60083F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • You may be required to serve a trial period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. 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-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.
English Language Proficiency. LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Regulations.

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).

Must pass a background check.

Grade Determinations:
GS-12 LPMHC Program Coordinator
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.
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.**Please note that you must be licensed/certified as a Supervisor and be able to provide licensure.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
1. In depth knowledge of the program coordinated, and demonstrated knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and or practice guidelines for the program.
2. Ability to make key decisions in the hiring and identification of top candidates.
3. Ability to provide leadership in facilitating the process of coordinating program consults, assessments, admissions, care assignments and discharges.
4. 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, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR QUALIFICATION STANDARD

The full performance level of a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Usually works indoors in areas which normally have adequate heat, light, and ventilation. The work is primarily sedentary; however, there is some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, manuals and records.

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/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • License
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

  • License
  • Additional Documentation
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/12/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12793415.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

Jenna McCarthy
Address
Atlanta VA Medical Center
1670 Clairmont Road
Decatur, GA 30033
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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