Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Primary Care Mental Health Integration) Job in Wasilla, AK

Summary

This job is open to

• The public

  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

• Federal employees - Competitive service

  Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

• Federal employees - Excepted service

  Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

• Veterans

  Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Duties

The Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) is an advanced practice clinician whose duties and responsibilities consist of significant scope, complexity, and variety.

This co-located, collaborative Senior LPMHC position is primarily assigned to the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) program. The incumbent functions as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team and delivers brief, consultation-based services to Veterans, primary care providers, and allied Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members. The focus is on general service deliver for a wide range of concerns and resolving problems within the primary care setting.

Functions

• Provides functional assessment, triage, brief intervention, education and consultative services regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns, on referral from primary care providers and allied PACT members. The PC-MHI LPMHC uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competences in the following core domains.
• Conduct functional assessments, based on 30-minute appointments, and will triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate. Demonstrates expertise in using contemporary interview and psychometric assessment methods for mental disorders and/or behavioral health conditions.
• Provides evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions and behavioral medicine interventions as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker, which may include individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation. Achieves minimal clinical workload expectations as established by the service line.
• Develops comprehensive treatment plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members documenting patient-generated concerns and goals, measurable objectives, and interventions for clinical treatment. Provides psychological assessment, triage, intervention, education, and consultative services consistent with training and expertise related to mental health and behavioral medicine concerns of varying complexity in outpatient setting.
• Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up, and referral.
• Routinely consults with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients. Integrates within primary care team and works closely in collaboration with PACT team, attending daily and regularly recurring meetings and huddles. Actively engages and provides feedback to PCP and other PACT team members with same day referrals and warm hand-offs. Provides education to PACT on MH issues as well as consultation on tips for successful management of mental health symptoms and concerns impacting medical conditions.
• Serves as a mentor to other LPMHCs, particularly those at the entry level. Provides clinical supervision for unlicensed MHCs. Is viewed by LPMHC colleagues and interdisciplinary team members as a senior clinician with advanced practice skills and expertise.
• As a field instructor or preceptor, provides unlicensed MHC staff/trainees with clinical supervision towards licensure and/or for specialty certification.

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 evaluation.
• 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.

• 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Required Documents

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 10/17/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12813348.

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.

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.