The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) 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: working with couples, families, individuals and groups utilizing systemic theories, requiring expertise in interpersonal relationships, with conceptualizations that are distinct from individually oriented therapies. 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. 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. Education: Candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, (2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR, (3) 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-0101 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT approved license. Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3). This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. Preferred Experience: Experience in Substance Use Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience, Education and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (b) below. OR, In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting. AND the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSA. (b) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members. 2. Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system. 3. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns. 4. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy. This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality. 5. Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs. 6. Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements. (c) Assignments. MFTs at the full performance level are licensed to independently practice marriage and family therapy. MFTs can provide general mental health services to Veterans within the ethics and guidelines of the professional standards. MFTs at this level formulate, implement, and re- evaluate treatment plans through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system. In the event that Advanced or Supervisory level assignments are not established/supportable, the incumbents at this level can be responsible for clinical supervision for licensing purposes only, provided they have an AAMFT approved supervisor credential. References: VA Handbook 5005/101 Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Qualification Standard Appendix G44. 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. ["Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Incumbent will devise innovative ways to adapt work operations to new and changing program requirements to include oversight and monitoring performance measures associated with the provisions of couples and family therapy within the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. Incumbent will work with managers from other programs within the Mental Health Services, as well as in other programs outside of Mental Health, to develop programming to meet the various levels and intensities of services needed by Veteran and their families. Incumbent will be responsible for triaging and managing clinical consults to the clinic ordering couples and family therapy to ensure timeliness in scheduling of the service to include serving as a liaison between Mental Health, the Business Office, and Community Care. Incumbent functions as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the Mental Health Clinic under the guidance and direct administrative supervision of the Outpatient Mental Health Program Manager Incumbent independently conducts thorough clinical assessments with focus on identifying risk factors and the psychosocial needs of Veterans and their identified significant others. Incumbent develops treatment plans indicating utilization of empirically based interventions and appropriate and relevant clinical practices in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team in the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. Incumbent establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families and demonstrates advanced skill in independently providing individual, couples, family, and/or group therapy to Veterans and their significant others. Incumbent independently provides consultation services to other staff (including Vet Center) regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and their families and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan within his/her scope of practice. Incumbent has ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Incumbent has working knowledge and skill in the use of word processing, data management, and other computer software, as well as, ability to learn and utilize VHA software program. The LMFT is responsible for independently discharging the mandates of the position. It is the incumbent's responsibility to solicit consultation as appropriate. The LMFT's ongoing performance will be reviewed through supervision, reports, review of work, and information from other collaterals such as the Chief, Mental Health. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30-4:00 or 8:00 - 4:30\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist/PDF00818\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]