The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) serves as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and is responsible for providing a broad range of psycho-social services to our Veterans. Services includes but are not limited to: counseling services to combat veterans of all eras, veterans sexually traumatized while on active duty, and veterans with substance abuse disorders. The LPMHC conducts assessment interviews and develops treatment plans and provides treatment to eligible veterans Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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: Hold a master's degree in mental health 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; and Marriage and Family Therapy. A doctoral degree in mental health counseling may not be substituted for the master's degree in mental health counseling. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0101 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. NOTE: It is VHA policy that a LPMHC who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. Exception. Non-licensed LPMHCs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate LPMHC under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the supervision of a licensed LPMHC at or above the full performance level. This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9). For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, LPMHCs must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed LPMHC with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-101 LPMHC series and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Licensure. Once licensed, LPMHCs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, which includes diagnosis and treatment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS-101 LPMHC occupation and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency: LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Preferred Experience: Experience in Substance Use Grade Determinations: For the Grade of GS-9: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Entry Level) - Experience, Education, and Licensure. The entry level is used for LPMHCs with less than one year of post-master's degree experience or for LPMHCs who are graduates, not yet licensed at the independent practice level. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. 3. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life span. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 5. Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively. 6. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth. 7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. 8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. 9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. For the Grade of GS-11: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Full Performance Level) - Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least 1 year of post-master's or post- doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. 2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 3. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation. 4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. 5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. 6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 7. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices. 8. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho- education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy. References: VA Handbook 5005/106 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Qualification Standard Appendix G43. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: This position requires Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers, Both hands required; walking (2 hours); Standing (2 hours); Repeated bending (1 hour); Operation of a motor vehicle; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Depth perception; Hearing (aid permitted); Clear distinctive speech; sitting up to 8 hours/day; computer use, up to 8 hours/day; telephone, up to 8 hours/day. ["Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) will treat Veterans within the outpatient Mental Health clinic, practicing as a generalist of various mental health disorders. BHIP LPMHCs are an integral member of an interdisciplinary treatment team, which consists of other social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurse case managers, peer support specialists and clinical mental health pharmacists. Our BHIP teams work in close collaboration, with weekly protected team meeting times to develop treatment plans and ensure quality mental health care to our Veterans.\nThe incumbent will be able to independently diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological and/or cognitive screenings, and to provide psychotherapy. The incumbent should be able to determine which psychotherapy modalities and techniques are appropriate, and to provide various types of empirically supported psychotherapies, including cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, gestalt, family/ systems, interpersonal, etc. They consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. LPMHCs may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Diagnose mental disorders utilizing DSM-5 criteria and treat mental disorders through a variety of evidenced-based modalities Provides individual, family, and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions Consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Participates as an active treatment team member. Consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. LPMHCs may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi-disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals. Assures that appropriate referrals to specialty programs, including community resources, are accomplished. This may include ordering the following consults: Mental Health Service Programs, (e.g., Substance Abuse, PTSD, Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Compensated Work Therapy, Homeless, and Residential Treatment) Vocational Rehabilitation, and Long-Term Care. Fully accountable for practice, including entering patient visits, appropriate clinical documentation, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards. May be involved in the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, fellows and other graduate or post-graduate trainees, as appropriate. Assist with the monitoring of clinical programs and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance process. Responsible for the timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the medical center and service line. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor/PDF00819\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not Required"]