Summary
The incumbent serves as Supervisory Marriage and Family Therapist (Vet Center Director) on the multidisciplinary team that is located in a community-based Vet Center that provides Veterans, service members, and their family members with community outreach, counseling, therapy, treatment, direct services, and referral to VA and community resources and community education in the effort to address problems, needs, and to make the transition from military to civilian life successful.
Duties
***Recruitment / Relocation Incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates ***
Major Duties Include (But are not limited to):
- Supervising a multidisciplinary staff composed of clinical and administrative team members, whose primary mission is to provide direct readjustment counseling to eligible individuals in the areas of suicide prevention, crisis intervention, short-term and long-term treatment for symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other related readjustment issues.
- Planning, developing, implementing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating professional services rendered by subordinates.
- Setting guidelines and establishing intervention strategies and / or treatment priorities for individual, group, conjoint, and families employing varying clinical and therapeutic modalities.
- Conducting Performance Based Interviews (PBI) and determining selection processes to ensure fair and equitable recruitment of qualified, high achieving, and well prepared applicants.
- Developing networks and working relationships external to Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) and the Department of Veteran Affairs, with Veteran service organizations, community based agencies, and mental health organizations to enhance service delivery and develop referrals of Veteran clients to appropriate care.
- Serving as a Consultant and Subject Matter Expert to programs and resources external to the Vet Center on matters of the readjustment needs of Veterans.
- Creating, implementing, and measuring market penetration of Vet Center services through a comprehensive outreach plan for the primary service area.
- Ensuring fiscal / budget management, in compliance with applicable RCS and VHA policies and procedures, as an approving official for Time & Attendance reports, leases / contracts management, local staff travel, Government Purchase Card (GPC) purchases, etc.
- Screening and assessing of Veteran clients, treatment planning and goal setting, referral to service providers, development of a resource file, Veteran advocacy, crisis intervention, education / health promotion, coordination of non-institutional and institutional services, and individual / group counseling.
Work Schedule: Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, TBD by Supervisor;
candidate may be subject to working evenings, weekends, and holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Title / Functional Statement #: Supervisory Marriage and Family Therapist (Vet Center Director)/ 78047-A
Relocation / Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
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
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,
01/03/2025.
Basic Requirements
- Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
- Note: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
- Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services
- English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
Education: This position requires that 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 Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), -OR-
- Have passed the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) examination
Licensure: Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a state, and
must have an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) approved Supervisor credential.
Specialized Experience
GS-13 Specialized Experience: For this position, you must must have
five (5) years of
post-licensed clinical experience (VA or Non-VA) in delivery of family systems theory/therapy, including one (1) year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise. Specialized experience is:
- Knowledge and understanding of the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Knowledge of methods, principles and theories sufficient to intervene and stabilize combat Veterans suffering from multiple diagnoses
- Ability to conduct psycho-social assessments and implement treatment plans for combat Veterans and their families
- Ability to establish and maintain referral networks through community outreach to provide services to Veterans
- Experience in working with Veterans, especially combat Veterans
- Experience in working with Veterans who were sexually traumatized / harassed while in the military
- Experience in providing family counseling services to Veterans and their family
- Experience working with combat Veterans and their families who have PTSD or readjustment issues and the ability to make independent judgments and recommendations about a number of serious and complex cases
- Special knowledge and skill in the field of Veterans in community resource identification and development, in public speaking and basic principles of education, in staff recruitment and development, and in program design and management
- Knowledge of VA and community resources available to Veterans and their family
- Develops and manages a clinic's budget and program funds
- Working knowledge of electronic records
- Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates and sets guidelines for clinical, therapeutic and treatment priorities
- Incumbent must have possession of supervisory and management skills
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.
Note:
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Social Worker Qualification Standard Appendix G44, dated April 18, 2018
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
GS-13 Education Requirement: Applicants must possess one of the following (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED):
- Hold a Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from a program approved by Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), -OR-
- Hold a Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), -OR-
- Hold a Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree in a comparable mental health degree (i.e. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession.
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:
Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).
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.
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, SF-50's (current / former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP / CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for eligibility):
- Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you are a current employee. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates your current employment status.
- Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted to determine eligibility.
- Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
- Within Grade Increases (WGI) at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
- SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old
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 DD-214(s) which show 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 01/03/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12634979.
- 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 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.