Summary
Incumbent functions as the primary advisor to the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS of Behavioral Health (BH)) Chief of BH, Chief of Staff, and Medical Center Director on all BH programs. Responsible for the effective and efficient management of all BH programs and services such as Psychology, Psychiatry and Social Work. Ensures timely delivery of patient driven care that includes quality assessment, diagnosis and management (including pharmacotherapy) of inpatient and outpatient BH care.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This is an external job announcement. Current permanent VA employees are encouraged to apply under the internal announcement (CAZM-12494380-24-LGJ) to receive consideration based on current employment status.
Duties
This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 08/15/2024. Additional applications will be referred as needed.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
Program Management
- Exercising administrative, programmatic, clinical and academic oversight of all Behavioral Health (BH) programs to ensure delivery of quality services in coordination with the ACOS of BH, Chief of Staff or ADPCS where appropriate.
- Coordinating and integrating programs into a comprehensive package of services that meet the evolving needs of the Veteran population that comply with the Uniform Mental Health Services handbook and VHA's Mental Health Operating Plan.
- Serving as the alternate spokesperson and advocate for BH programs and patients within the health care system, as determined by the ACOS of BH.
- Directing patient care needs assessments; identifying gaps in services and supporting strategic planning and program development to meet those needs. Within the local planning process, developing short- and long-range goals and objectives for provision of BH
- Ensuring programs, processes and procedures are in place to meet VHA performance measures and monitors. Using chart reviews and data analytic methods to improve performance and quality problems.
- Learning about practices and supporting all existing safety practices relevant to this position. Staying abreast of new safety practices as they are developed.
- Coordinating and integrating interdepartmental and intradepartmental services especially in evaluation of the clinical delivery of care relevant to the ACOS of BH, Chief of Staff or ADPACS.
- Actively promoting and effectively managing a culturally diverse workforce which embraces the values and needs of all individuals. This must be accomplished through long-term commitments, strategic and business planning, education and experience which broadens the mindset and by fully managing human resources.
Clinical
- Providing clinical consultation to various disciplines and levels of training.
Academic, Teaching and Training
- Overseeing, developing, coordinating and evaluating academic programs within BH.
- Involved in the training of students as appropriate.
- Providing leadership, guidance and consultation on staff education and development.
Other
- Serving on System Redesign, Root Cause Analysis, employee candidate selection and other ad hoc committees, as designated by the ACOS of BH.
- Serving on VISN 17 committees representing BH and EPVAHCS community.
Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Must be accessible 24/7 on an on-call basis by phone in the event of any major issues that must be handled immediately. This is a rare occurrence.
Telework: Available - ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Not a Bargaining Unit position
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.
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:
- 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 aMFT 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.
- Loss of Licensure: Once licensed, MFTs must maintain a full, current and unrestricted license to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS-0182 MFT series and may result in termination of employment.
- Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
- 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.
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).
Grade Determinations:
Supervisory Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12
Experience, Education, and Licensure. Candidates must have successfully completed evidence based training in marriage and family therapy and must have graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program OR have passed the AMFTRBE. Candidates 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 possession of using evidence based family therapy model while demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise. Assignments responsible for providing clinical supervision must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs below.
Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
- Ability to identify professional development needs of other MFTs and guide them in current family systems theory/therapy practice guidelines.
- Ability to collaborate with members of other disciplines and supervisors and to represent the family systems theory/therapy profession both in and outside of VHA. This includes knowledge of the roles, contributions, and interrelationships with other disciplines.
- Ability to perform the full range of administrative and clinical supervisory duties including responsibility for work assignments, competency assessments, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions.
- Ability to analyze clinical data and make recommendations for corrective actions to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within service keeping in line with accrediting bodies and policy.
Preferred Experience:
- Five or more years of administrative/supervisory experience in managing a behavioral health service that consists of multi-disciplinary staff.
- Demonstrated experience with disciplinary actions
- Experience working in multi-disciplinary teams with privileges at an outpatient clinic or hospital.
- Must possess experience in overseeing, developing, coordinating and evaluating academic programs within the behavioral health field.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.
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/.
Accreditation Information: You must have 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.
NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
NOTE: If your school was accredited by COAMFTE at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
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.
Note: 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference to external applicants for appointments made from this announcement.
For this open continuous job announcement, after 90 days of application submission, your application will expire. If you continue to be interested in this position, please update your application thru your USAJobs.gov account.
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 (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Other (1)
- Other (2)
- Other (3)
- PCS Orders
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Proof of Enrollment
- Proof of Marriage Status
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- 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.
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 10/25/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12494638.
- 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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