Supervisory Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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 Clinical 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 a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.

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 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 experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills, judgment, and competency.

Assignments. At this level, LPMHCs administratively supervise their licensed staff and/or graduates and are considered LPMHC subject matter experts and may serve as the discipline lead. LPMHCs may provide treatment to patients. They direct the development and implementation of services and treatment to patients through the administrative supervision, mentoring, and oversight of assigned clinical staff. Their experience must demonstrate practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment.

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:
1.Ability to administratively supervise other providers and conduct meetings.
2.Ability to maintain a professional environment by following organizational policies, guidelines and safety standards.
3.Ability to establish and clearly communicate guidelines and performance expectations for staff.

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 12

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary in nature and usually occurs within climate controlled clinical and administrative settings. Use of fingers may be required to operate computers. There may be occasional light lifting/carrying (15 pounds or less) requirements to relocate boxed materials from one area to another, equipment and room set-up, and ambulation related to physical inspections of the facilities.

Responsibilities:

Duties include but not limited to:

Administrative/Supervisory Responsibilities

• Performs the administrative and personnel management functions relative to staff supervised. He/she establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff and clearly communicates these through the formal employee performance management system.
• Observes supervisees' performance and demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. He/she provides formal and informal feedback to employees, works to resolve informal complaints and grievances, develops work improvement plans, and recommends personnel actions, as necessary.
• Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters, effects disciplinary measures, as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area, and reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests.
• Responsible for furthering the goals of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) by taking positive steps to assure the accomplishment of affirmative action objectives and by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices in regard to race, color, religion, sex, and affirmative action for the area under his/her supervision in the following:(1) merit promotion of employees and recruitment and hiring of applicants;(2) fair treatment of all employees;(3) encouragement and recognition of employee achievements;(4) career development of employees; and(5) full utilization of their skills.
• Supervises LPMHC staff in accordance with the objectives of the Community Based Clinics (CBOC) Service Line. Exercises supervisory authority and responsibilities involving work assignment and review, as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised.
• Contributes to review, monitoring, analysis, planning, and assessment of various programs. responsible for key project activities related to the planning, development, and implementation of the project component.
• Possesses ability to evaluate his/her practice through professional peer review, case conferences, and other organizational means.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs. He/she must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families, and groups. He/she also independently conducts psychosocial assessments.
• Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs.
• Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures.
• Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan.
• Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner.

Other Significant Responsibilities

• Has contact on a regular and recurring basis with individuals representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. Has frequent personal contact with the public, clinical/administrative service/service line chiefs, medical center employees, and representatives of local and state organizations, AFGE/NAGE Union officials, medical center top management, and high-level VISN and VA Headquarters program officials.
• Serves on decision-making committees and task forces at the medical center.
• Represents the medical center and VISN 6 at professional and community events and committees, in conferences and meetings with higher ranking managers, supervisors, and staff from other disciplines or work units, and with representatives of local public interest groups, congressional district offices, and employees of State and local governments.
• Regularly reviews, revises, and writes service line policies.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
Telework: Ad-hoc, As determined by agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $90,838 - $200,000