Summary
The incumbent provides professional, advance practice counseling services in the MCR position. As a Senior
Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC), the incumbent practices in a major program area and is
assigned administrative responsibilities for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program
effectiveness and modification of service patterns.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens
***If you ARE a current, permanent federal employee, please apply to the Internal Announcement CBSU-12548873-24-JRS****
Duties
- Provide professional, independent, specialized mental health treatment to veterans who are diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders & who are experiencing a wide range of complex medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, & psychosocial problems. These therapeutic relationships also extend to family members.
- Provides individual, group & family psychotherapy interventions used in the treatment of veterans with substance use disorders & comorbid mental health needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder, & serious mental health disorders.
- Implement Measurement Based Care for measuring effectiveness of clinical practice & services in specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
- Use subjective & objective data in making clinical assessment of the veteran's needs. Uses advanced clinical training, & experience to identify viable treatment options & makes appropriate referrals for care.
- Develop treatment plans in coordination with RRTP Team Members, including goals for treatment.
- Maintains a current & productive network of referral resources.
- Makes referrals to other services in the VA, as well as to other agencies, community resources, & other Governmental agencies.
- Act as a community & family liaison by initiating & maintaining necessary contact with the patient, his/her family, VA Healthcare System service programs & personnel, mental health agencies, & other related resource agencies.
- Independently assesses the psychosocial functioning & needs of Veterans & family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, & psychosocial acuity.
- The incumbent interviews Veterans & their family members/significant others to establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems & their causes, & the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning & health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment.
- Reviews all data, subjective & objective, & makes a clinical assessment identifying strengths, needs, abilities, & preferences.
- Assesses & documents identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence.
- Independently conclude the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran.
- Possess expertise in participating in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship & teaching.
- Establishes & maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, & staff to facilitate understanding of counseling interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population.
- Advocates on behalf of the veteran to ensure that services & benefits are obtained in a timely manner.
- Receives & completes requests for services (consults) from interdisciplinary team members on complex, difficult cases.
- Utilizes crisis intervention techniques with Veterans who are in an acute crisis & knows & implements the Suicide Prevention & Management of Suicidal Behavior policy.
- Possess advanced skill in working with individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy & advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with multiple co-occurring conditions.
- Demonstrate advanced & expert skill in a range of specialized evidence-based interventions & treatment modalities used for treatment of Substance Use Disorders & other co-morbid mental health conditions.
- Employ counseling methods & techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that will help the Veteran work toward the best way of achieving their goals.
- Demonstrate ability to tailor treatment plans to individual Veterans needs to include but not limited to differential diagnoses, maladaptive coping skills, available or lack of resources/support, and/or on-going need for psychological support.
- Attend interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, updating treatment & discharge plans as appropriate.
- Develop discharge plans & set achievable discharge goals in consultation with the interdisciplinary treatment team.
- Coordinate post-discharge services, including VA services & community-based services.
- Document independently in the medical record, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostic assessments, treatment, progress notes, follow up, & referral.
- Utilize MBC scores to monitor & track treatment progress.
- Analyze MBC data & develop performance improvement project to improve treatment services.
- Provide consultation regarding the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, & discharge planning.
- Provide oversight & clinical supervision for LPMHC trainees to progress toward licensure or certification.
Work Schedule: M-F 8-4:30
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 59218O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
***This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until September 15, 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be October 17, 2024, with subsequent cut-off dates once prior certs are returned. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.***
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS.
Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.
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
Grade Determinations.
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12 Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.
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:
- Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment.
- Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling, or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial, and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans.
- Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data.
- Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients, rendering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills.
- Ability to teach, mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications.
- Ability to engage in written and oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession.
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43
This vacancy is for a GS-12 position, which is above the full performance level.
Physical Requirements: The work is moderately active. Typically, the employee is driving a vehicle, walking around various facilities/settings, visiting with patients or community partners standing up, and at times sits comfortably while working. There will also be some light exertion required when walking, standing, bending or climbing stairs, carrying of light items such as papers, books, laptop, small objects, or driving an automobile. Must be able to sit/stand for long periods of time and lift 20 lbs. Ability to complete a Basic Life Support (BLS) course is a position requirement.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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.
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:
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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 (VA)
- License
- Other (1)
- Other (2)
- Other (3)
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
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 09/16/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12548872.
- 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.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
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.
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