Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Intake screening and assessment: Complete all readjustment counseling intake procedures, including an assessment of risk for self-harm, military history and military related psychosocial stressors, and assess family readjustment stressors and document identified behaviors or symptoms.
• Readjustment counseling goal setting and service planning: Develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions, including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes.
• Direct readjustment counseling service provision: Incorporate complex multiple causation in differential psychosocial assessment and direct service delivery to eligible Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnostic inferences within the clinical scope of practice.
• Risk assessment and crisis intervention: Conduct timely assessment of Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety planning as appropriate.
• Care coordination: Links the Veteran with other community services, resources, and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being.
• Coordinating readjustment counseling and outreach: Maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services for those individuals engaged in the community at outreach events that may require follow-up readjustment counseling.
• Team cohesion and coordination: Actively participate in staff meetings designed to promote team building and staff development.
• Documentation/administrative responsibilities/consultation: Document all clinical interactions with eligible individuals and episodes of care coordination on their behalf as required by policy.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm; some evenings and weekends may be required based on the needs of the Vet Center
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 47394A, 43860A
• 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

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship; Education; Licensure.
• Experience, Education, and Licensure: For LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 series in VHA, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post-doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) performing duties such as: engaging in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up; using a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; providing professional mental health counseling services; and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs listed above.