Duties
The Marriage and Family Therapist will function as the nonsupervisory Program Coordinator of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Program, located within the Behavioral Health Service (BHS). The PTSD Program is a specialty clinic designated to provide evidenced-based treatments and health maintenance services to Veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The incumbent ensures the PTSD Program staff are aware of, and adhere to, all current directives of VHA, Joint Commission, and other regulatory agencies. Assists in the planning, establishing, and implementing of policies and procedures.
Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Provides clinical services including direct care to Veterans enrolled in the PTSD Program; individual, group, couples, and family therapies as well as psychological assessments.
- Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments.
- Ensures PTSD screening criteria are met and program procedures are maintained. Develops comprehensive treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals, objectives, and interventions for psychosocial clinical treatment.
- Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs.
- Responsible for all entries in the Veteran's medical record (CPRS) and timely completion thereof, including discharge summaries and patient encounters.
- Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi-disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals.
- Completes required measures in the Behavioral Health Lab, and required treatment plans using the Mental Health Suite.
- Fully accountable for practice, including documenting Veteran visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards.
- Adheres to HIPAA, privacy regulations and VHA Directives related to release of information.
- Consultant, liaison, and point of contact for programs within Behavioral Health Services, throughout the hospital, and within the community.
- Participates fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional practice standards provided in the organization.
- Oversees the day-to-day operations of the PTSD Program staff.
- Prepares reports and statistics for VASNHS, VISN, and national use, as well as drafting responses to Congressional inquiries.
- Evaluates the quality of the professional services provided. Incumbent devises methods of obtaining and evaluating data to determine the effectiveness of treatment and identifies consistent qualities of successful and non-successful interventions within the PTSD program.
- Responsible for oversight of required clinical records as well as any reports due to higher level reporting agencies.
- Assists with coordinating clinical and supportive program development across disciplines and in collaboration with other Service Lines.
- Participates with Performance Improvement activities, including taking the lead on PTSD-related SAIL measures.
- Participates in local, VISN, and national committees/community networking activities and/or meetings.
- Accountable for practice, including Veteran visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards.
- Participates in research, through case finding and referral of Veterans to clinical investigators engaged in research or through participating in research studies.
- Applies new approaches to Veteran care through integration of approved investigative and research methods, basing interventions on evidence-based effectiveness.
- Participates in education/CME lectures, research, specialty care programs, and/or clinics as assigned by the Chief of Behavioral Health.
- Assumes responsibility for professional development by attending relevant trainings and regularly reviewing the literature to improve clinical competencies.
- May be involved in training programs, the training of social work interns, marriage and family therapy interns, psychiatric residents, medical students, and nursing students, as appropriate.
Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday
Telework: Available (Ad Hoc)
Functional Statement #: 0000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact susan.bringel@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
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Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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.
- 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 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. Candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, (2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR, (3) 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.
- Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment. MFT program coordinators of family programs must be trained in family systems therapy/theory. If the assignment is responsible for providing systemic clinical supervision for licensure the individual must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (b) below: (b) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
- Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet multiple deadlines, delegate tasks and facilitate team building.
- Ability to manage and direct the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
- Ability to devise innovative ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, to develop staffing and budget requirements, and to translate management goals and objectives into well- coordinated and controlled work operations and ensure compliance with pertinent VHA policies.
- Ability to establish and monitor performance priorities according to standards and program evaluation criteria.
- Knowledge of family systems theory/therapy in coordination of family programs.
- Assignments. MFT Program Coordinators are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a specialty area as defined by the National Mental Health Office. Examples include RCS/Vet Centers, Homeless Veterans program and Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM). They coordinate the daily operations of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN and national use. At this level, MFTs are licensed to independently provide mental health services and may supervise for licensure other MFTs.
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).
Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a MFT on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, demoted, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) MFTs 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 (3) Employees who are retained as a MFT under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as a MFT.
Preferred Experience: Leadership; Team Coordination; EBP PTSD Treatment
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
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/.
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.
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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:
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
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Other (1)
- PCS Orders
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
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 10/27/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12815386.
- 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.
- 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.
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.