Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.

The Local Recovery Coordinator (LRC) is located within the Mental Health Service and is responsible for transforming the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (DCVAHCS) Mental Health Service into a recovery-oriented model of care, assisting in the sustainment of those changes, and supporting further systemic changes as new evidence becomes available. The LRC works to develop and enhance programming and service delivery within the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), inpatient psychiatry and more generally throughout programs in the Mental Health Service. The psychologist complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for patients.

The LRC also carries a caseload in the General Mental Health Clinic, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) or other outpatient area as delegated by Mental Health Service leadership, providing individual and group treatment, as well as clinic coverage (e.g., intakes, risk triages), as needed.

Administrative

• Develops a 3 to 5-year plan for the facility that identifies staged implementation of recovery-oriented services (e.g., use of recovery plans).
• Coordinates the evaluation of recovery implementation at the facility and reports the results to the National Recovery Coordinator (NRC).
• Implements measures to assess recovery policy and procedure adherence, and assess the extent that the recovery model is embodied in the Mental Health (MH) programs.
• Serves as a recovery ombudsman to MH executive leadership, program managers, and MH staff on recovery and implementation of recovery-oriented services.
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned.
• Supports MH executive leadership with providing clinical consultation to the Peer Support program and acting as a support for their direct supervisors; supports MH leadership with filling Peer Specialist positions
• Serves as EPIC Team Champion
• Acts as MH Champion for MH Summit and other MH activities throughout the year.
• Assists with VA regional or local recovery-oriented trainings, meetings, or conferences
• Develops an education plan for providers that includes:
  1. recurrent didactic presentations about elements of recovery and recovery implementation by
  experts;
  2. presentations by recovering individuals, especially veterans;
  3. information about community mental health support groups and other resources and how to make
  referrals;
  4. information about VA and national recovery materials and resources and how to access them;
  5. information about VA sponsored trainings and education on recovery;
  6. availability of recovery posters and brochures;
  7. training on cultural competency;
  8. development and coordination of local recovery training as needed
• Provides annual report on implementation progress to local Leadership, VISN RC and the NRC
• Meets quarterly with VISN RC to coordinate a network response to recovery implementation and implementation of policies and procedures related to recovery.
• Participates in facility Mental Health (MH) leadership meetings and policy planning groups.

Clinical

• Provides clinical services to SMI diagnosed Veterans that affect MH performance metrics.
• Provides comprehensive psychosocial assessments and treatment for Veterans with serious mental illness referred to recovery services
• Reviews all subjective and objective data; assesses high risk factors; provides a clinical assessment; determines a treatment plan for the Veteran based on acuity and need for and type of recovery services and/or psychotherapy recommended.
• Determines the probability of recovery-focused interventions being effective for a Veteran and provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including individual, couple/family, and group psychotherapies; psycho-educational groups; and case management.
• Consultation resource for other Medical Center staff regarding the need for and development of recovery-oriented services, specific case conceptualization, treatment planning, and utilization of evidenced-based treatments and clinical practice guidelines.
• Adheres to patient rights and patient advocacy responsibilities.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by MH Service Leadership.

Enriching elements

• Academic/teaching/training: May provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including trainees seeking licensure in psychology and Peer Support Specialists.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM- 4:30 PM
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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: 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,
  • 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. For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed.
• 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.

Grade Determinations:

Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12 (Advanced)

Education, Experience and Licensure. Candidate must have successfully completed evidence based training in family therapy and must have graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program OR have passed the AMFTRE. Candidate must have at least five years of post-licensed clinical experience in delivery of family systems therapy including one-year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. This experience must demonstrate the use of an evidence based family therapy model while exhibiting progressive professional competency and expertise. Assignments requiring responsibility for providing clinical supervision must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs): In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs listed below.

• Ability to provide specialized consultation for complex cases involving individuals, families and/or couples utilizing evidenced-based family systems theory/therapy.
• Ability to provide crisis intervention which includes assessment, safety planning and complex treatment planning using independent clinical judgment utilizing family systems theory/therapy.
• Ability to provide family systems therapy, which seeks to address Veterans and their family members on an individual level and deals with interpersonal interactions.
• Ability to provide unlicensed MFT staff/trainees with systemic clinical supervision towards licensure from a family systems theory/therapy perspective.

GS 12 (Advanced) Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Advanced MFTs can be assigned as the sole licensed mental health provider in settings such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics or have responsibility and oversight for a MFT training program established under VA/VHA training policy as well as provide systemic clinical supervision to those MFT interns. The Advanced MFT who has responsibility for the training program provides family systemic clinical supervision to unlicensed MFTs and provides clinical consultation to less experienced staff. Advanced MFTs develop behavioral health related training curriculum and conduct trainings for clinical staff. Advanced MFTs meet routinely with inter-professional team members and leadership to communicate about program and veteran and family issues for in depth problem solving.

Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level)

Experience, Education and Licensure: The GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs. OR a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting. AND the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSA.

Demonstrated KSAs- the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members.
• Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns.
• Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy. This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality.
• Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs.
• Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements

Preferred Experience: Familiarity working with Veterans in the Substance Abuse Recovery Program, an intensive outpatient program serving Veterans diagnosed with a mental illness and SUD. Familiarity and skill in evidence-based practices is important for this role, while working in a Veteran Centric environment. At least two years should be in an area of specialized social work practice in mental health and substance abuse treatment. The incumbent has a post 2 years independent clinical license or certification by a state at the advanced practice level, which includes an ASWB advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advance practice level. The Senior Social Worker may have certification or other post- masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: This position requires: light to moderate lifting (15 - 44 lbs.); light carrying (15 lbs. and under); reaching above shoulder;
use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to two hours); standing (up to two hours); kneeling (up to one hour); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correction at 13" to 16"; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; depth perception' ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; mental stability; working closely with others and working alone.

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; 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.

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

• License
• Resume
• Transcript

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

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.

• Cover Letter
• License
• Full Resume / CV (No page limitation)
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Next steps