Senior Mental Health Counselor Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. OB-24-12584853-DE-KD Department Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for DC - Agency Wide
Salary $82,764.00 to $107,590.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/7/2024 Close Date 11/21/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The position is located in the Reentry Sanctions Center (RSC), a 24-hour, 7-day per week Residential Facility. Shift Work is required to include weekends and overnight for this position. The incumbent conducts intakes, completes evaluations, facilitates evidence-based groups, and provides the full range of assessment and counseling services to offenders/defendants with behavioral health disorders.

Duties

The individual performs the duties of the Senior Mental Health Counselor in support of the Re-entry and Sanctions Center program. This person will be assigned to work on the Co-Occurring Disorder Units.

Under the general direction of the Unit Manager, the Senior Mental Health Counselor facilitates the Mental Health Counselors delivery of services and reintegration programming for high-risk offenders and defendants.

Collaborates with other unit staff to ensure the completion of assessments that determine the offender's need for assistance, such as psychological counseling, substance abuse treatment, skills training and education, and medical treatment.

Provides ongoing training and guidance to Mental Health Counselors and Social Services Assistants/Counselors. Actively participates as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team.

Maintains accurate unit records and logs and provides them upon request to the Unit Manager for review.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable
  • Background security investigation, drug test, and favorable adjudication
  • May be required to successfully complete a one year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments directly deposited into a financial institution of their choosing.
  • CSOSA uses E-Verify, if you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.
  • Bargaining Unit Status: This position is represented by American Federation of Government Employees, Local 0727
  • This is not a virtual or remote position; you must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location which is Washington D.C. (District of Columbia).

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-11 level if you fulfill the following qualification requirements:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS
A. Successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in the behavioral or social sciences, or in a related discipline that included at least 24 semester/36 quarter hours in the behavioral or social sciences.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

C. Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE ABOVE BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, APPLICANTS MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have had either specialized experience and/or directly related education in the amounts shown below. Education and experience may be combined to meet the total experience requirements.

1. The applicant must have completed three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree when it provided the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

OR

2. The applicant must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-9.

Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Specialized experience at the GS-9 level is experience which includes performing work to present psycho-educational modules to offenders/defendants with confirmed mental illnesses, perform other tasks that support the offenders/defendants' mental and emotional stability, maintain accurate progress notes that detail offender/defendants' observed behaviors, and monitor participation and progress in Center programs and activities. Specialized work also include work providing guidance, directions, consultation, and leadership to Mental Health Counselors and Substance Abuse Counselors.

OR

3. Combination of Graduate Education and Professional Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate-level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience.

APPLICANTS MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR:

Selective Placement Factor: This position includes a skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to -and essential for- satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your application package.

The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Applicant must possess current licensure or certification to practice independently in the social services field: Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) OR comparable certification in a social science discipline such as psychology or social work is required. MUST PROVIDE LICENSURES. Failure to upload appropriate documentation to your application will result in your application being withdrawn from the hiring process.

Preferred Experience:
- No less than one year of clinical experience providing clinical services.
- Clear documentation of experience providing evidenced-based clinical practices (i.e., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for SUD, Motivational Interviewing, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, CPT, PE, etc.).
- No less than one year of clinical experience providing substance use treatment and clinical services.

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; religious; 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.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

If you are an eligible Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the CTAP or ICTAP must be well qualified for the position. To be well qualified, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and meet the mid-level (scoring between 85 and 89) of the rating criteria for all factors or the established cutoff score. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.


This vacancy announcement may be used to fill future vacancies for identical positions within the next year.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

CSOSA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Position is Mission Essential and is not subject to administrative dismissal in emergencies based on inclement weather conditions, or other emergency situations, as appropriate. A Mission Essential employee is required to report for, or remain at, work in emergency situations; dismissal or closure announcements do not apply to him/her unless his/her supervisor instructs otherwise.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Oral Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Credibility
  • Writing


To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Your application will be rated under Category Rating Procedures and be placed in one of three categories: Highly Qualified (highly proficient with an overall comprehensive level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job based on a complete review of experience, education and training), Well Qualified (competent in the position with an overall accomplished level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job based on a complete review of experience, education and training), or Qualified (an overall basic level of knowledge, skills and abilities of the job based on a complete review of your experience, education and training). With the exception of positions which are professional and scientific at the GS-09 (or equivalent) and above, qualified preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 30-percent or more (CPS) and those with a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10-percent but less than 30-percent (CP) move from the category in which they would otherwise be placed to the top of the highest quality category. Within these categories, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

Required Documents

You must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
-Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
- Your resume' showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
- Other supporting documents:
- Cover Letter, optional
- All College transcript(s) (undergraduate and graduate), required if qualifying based on education
- Current independent licensure or certification as a: Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) OR comparable certification in a social science discipline such as psychology or social work is required
- Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service)
- DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities. https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
- Noncompetitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
- Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements
6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found in your USAJOBS account under the "Track my application" link for the corresponding application.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Kiran Dasti
Address
CSOSA
800 North Capitol Street NW Suite 701
Washington DC, DC 20002
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.


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


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