Addiction Therapist (Licensed

Summary The incumbent is a full-time staff Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) within the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center's Mental Health Service Line dedicated to the Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP). Qualifications Basic Requirements: The following are the basic requirements and qualifications for appointment as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)United States Citizenship - Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA PolicyEnglish Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. - chapter 73 or 74 - to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken EnglishEducation Requirement - You must have a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - 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 CounselingCACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited programNote: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs that are accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation CounselingTranscripts Required Licensure: Candidates must possess a full - current - and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - which includes diagnosis and treatmentNOTE: It is VHA policy that 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 acc3ess to the electronic health recordCopy of Licensure RequiredException to Licensure/Certification: VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensureThis exception only applies at the GS-9 grade levelFor the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensedFor grade levels at or above the full performance level - the candidate must be licensedThe appointing official my waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the fill performance levelThis exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9)The grade levels at or above the full performance level - the candidate must be licensedThe Human Resources Office will provide the unlicensed LPMHC in writing the requirement to obtain licensure - the date by which the license must be acquired - and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadlineThe written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty dateGrade Determination: In addition to the basic requirements as stated above - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade level of the candidateGS-11 Grade level - Experience and Licensure/Certification: Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's or post-doctoral degree mental health counseling experience e (VA or non-VA experience) and licensed to practice at the independent practice level - In addition candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to make professional evaluations - decisions - and recommendation for treatment planning and implementationAdvanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationshipAbility 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 orientationAbility to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distressRequires independent judgment and skillAbility to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills - including evidenced-based practices - screening - and psychosocial assessmentAbility to use a wide variety of individual - group - or familial counseling interventionsdemonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skillsAbility to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practicesAbility to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho-education groups that include life skills - family support - and community integrationThis may include evidence-based psychotherapyReferences: VA Handbook 5005/106 - Part II - Appendix G43 - Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - dated 4/3/2018The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services. Duties Major Duties: Works as a member of an interdisciplinary team to facilitate the growth - quality - and outcomes of SARRTP servicesDelivering the full spectrum of patient-centered - recovery oriented - and evidence-based psychological services to enrolled Veterans - including assessment - psychoeducation - care coordination - case management - bed management - individual - group - couples/family psychotherapies - and consultation to other programs and disciplinesServices are provided in-person at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center - though there may be some usage of tale-health technologies - when clinically indicatedWork Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: GS-11 09309F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized