AMVETS Jobs

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Responsibilities The Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Local Recovery Coordinator - LRC) has the responsibility to lead the transformation of local VA mental health services to a recovery-oriented model of care, to help sustain those changes over time, and to support further systemic change as new evidence becomes available on the optimal delivery of recovery-oriented mental health care. The LRC is to lead, educate, model, and consult regarding recovery services, principles, and behaviors. Veteran-centric, recovery-oriented care is the hallmark of all mental health services in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Major duties include but are not limited to: The LRC is the leader of the facility Mental Health Summit planning committee. The LRC is responsible for the implementation and ongoing mission of the Re-Engaging Veterans with Serious Mental Illness in Treatment Program (SMI Re-Engage). The LRC collaborates, and offers consultation as appropriate, with the Inpatient Mental Health, the local Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC), Evidence Based Psychotherapy (EBP) coordinator, Military Sexual Trauma (MST) coordinator, Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Coordinator, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) coordinator, Transition and Case Management (TCM) coordinator, Women Veterans Program coordinator, Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program coordinator and other Therapeutic Supported Employment Services(TSES) staff, Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program (MHICM) coordinator, Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI), Peer Supports, VA-sponsored residency and training programs, local Vet Centers, and any other special population point of contact ensuring access to integrated, recovery-oriented MH services for all Veterans. The LRC is a member of the local Mental Health Executive Council and routinely participates in VISN and national LRC conference calls, retreats, and/or conferences. The LRC provides on-going education to Veterans and family members about recovery transformation in VHA MH services (including access to available services). Additionally, the LRC provides on-going training and consultation to facility staff about psychosocial rehabilitation, recovery transformation, and recovery-oriented services. The LRC participates as requested in activities that support Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation in CWT, MH Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP), Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers (PRRC) programs and other MH programs as appropriate. The LRC functions as a Licensed Independent Practitioner (LIP). Duties may be assigned to areas of the facility consistent with a focus on serious mental illness (e.g. Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center; Inpatient Mental Health, MH-Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program). Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Available on an Ad-hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 - Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized 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 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 or doctoral degree in: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Rehabilitation 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. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Additional information may be obtained from http://www.cacrep.org/directory/. NOTE: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs that are accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 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 licensed. Exception: VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are other wise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. For grade levels above the full performance level, candidates must be licensed. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12 Experience, Education and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have 5 years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgement, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Demonstrated, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental health. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approve clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling, or psychotherapy and advance level psychosocial, and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients, rendering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills. Ability to teach, mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications. Ability to engage in written and or oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession. Preferred Experience: Experience working with Veterans who have serious mental illness. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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/. Additional Information Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL. Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.