Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (BHIP)

We need to output HTML fragment with sections: About the role? Not present. Responsibilities? Duties. Requirements? Qualifications. Skills? Possibly KSAs. Benefits? EDRP info. Pay? Not present. Schedule? Work schedule present. Also need to include EDRP info as Benefits? The posting mentions EDRP eligibility, award amount up to $200,000, eligibility period one to five years. That's a benefit. So we can have Benefits section with that info. We must not repeat job title. No headings for Job ID etc. Use

for section headings. Use

• for any list of duties/requirements/benefits. Use

  for prose. We need to preserve all substantive info, not invent or summarize away detail. Remove boilerplate: cookie/navigation/legal/EEO etc. There's none. Remove duplicated lines. Remove application instructions: contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov? That's contact for EDRP coordinator; maybe considered application instructions? It's contact for questions/assistance; could be considered meta but maybe keep as part of Benefits? The instruction says remove application instructions. The contact for EDRP coordinator might be considered application instructions? It's not exactly how to apply, but it's a contact for questions. Might be considered meta; safer to drop it? The instruction: "Remove cookie/navigation/legal/EEO/equal-opportunity/scam-warning boilerplate, duplicated lines, and application instructions." The contact email is likely application instructions. So drop it. Also drop "Learn more" etc. We need to include sections only when posting has real specific content. So we will have sections: Responsibilities (Duties), Requirements (Qualifications), Skills (KSAs), Benefits (EDRP info), Schedule (Work Schedule). Possibly also "About the role" not present, so omit. We need to preserve all substantive info: include details about EDRP eligibility, award amount up to $200,000, eligibility period one to five years, former participants ineligible, must meet specific eligibility per VHA policy, submit application within four months of appointment. Also note program approval details. Qualifications: Basic Requirements: Citizenship, Education (master's or doctoral in specific fields, CACREP accredited), Licensure (full current unrestricted license to independently practice as LPMHC, includes diagnosis and treatment), note about supervision if not yet licensed, exception waiver pending completion of state prerequisites, English language proficiency, Grade determinations (GS-9 entry level, GS-11 full performance). Also Preferred Experience: Experience with Veterans. Also Physical Requirements: none. We need to format as lists where appropriate. For qualifications, we can break into sub-sections? The instruction: Use

  • for any list of duties/requirements/benefits. So we can list each bullet as
  • . For prose sections, use

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    . We must not invent or summarize away detail. Must preserve all details. So we need to include each piece of info. Let's structure:

    Responsibilities

    • Provide a variety of direct psychological treatment services addressing the complex psychosocial issues faced by Veteran patients served in an outpatient mental health setting (including intake assessment, treatment plan development and implementation, treatment interventions such as individual, family, couple, or small group therapy, trauma therapy, crisis intervention, case management, education, advocacy, shared decision-making and support group development and leadership).
    • Provide a variety of assessment, psychotherapeutic, and training services within outpatient GMH.
    • Assist Veterans in crisis - in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Team, Mental Health Clinic, other BHS programs, Emergency Department, and others.
    • Facilitate referrals for patients in crisis when indicated.
    • Maintain a caseload of patients and, as patients progress through episodes of care, engage in shared decision-making to graduate the patient to more independent functioning.
    • Serve as an active member of a BHIP treatment team that develops, implements, evaluates, and updates individualized treatment plans for identified Veterans seeking care through various BHS outpatient programs.
    • Provide occasional coverage for other areas of activity within BHS or coverage while other staff is on leave.
    • Record clinical information in the patient's medical record according to prescribed standards.
    • Collect and maintain required statistical information.
    • Participate on a variety of service and facility committees, task groups, or special projects groups as assigned by Supervisor or BHS Chief.
    • May provide training opportunities and either direct or indirect supervision of graduate Social Work or Mental Health Counselor students or other related human services students as directed by the Supervisor or BHS Chief.
    • Use word processing software to execute several office automation functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files, activating printers, inserting and deleting text, formatting letters, reports, and memoranda, and transmitting and receiving e-mail.
    • Use Oracle Cerner Millennium Powerchart and Joint Longitudinal Viewer - the Electronic Medical Record - to access patient information, document clinical and administrative actions, and communicate with both Veterans and their healthcare team members.
    • Maintain tracking system for special projects and ongoing data requirements.
    • Attend appropriate educational programs, seminars, etc.
    • Participation in an evidence-based psychotherapy training sponsored by the VA will be expected, as will completion of the consultation requirements.
    • As assigned, the incumbent accepts additional and special assignments aligned with program, service, and agency goals.

    Requirements

    • Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States (non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.g.).
    • 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 (e.g., Addiction Counseling, Community Counseling, Gerontology Counseling, Marital‑Couple‑and‑Family Counseling) from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Note: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards.
    • Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0101 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. If a LPMHC does not yet have a license allowing independent practice, they must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member with access to the electronic health record. VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure; this exception only applies up to the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed.
    • English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. §7403(f).
    • Grade Determinations:
      • Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - GS-9 (Entry Level): Requires education as above and less than one year of post‑master's experience (or master's/doctoral graduates not yet licensed at independent practice level). Unlicensed LPMHCs at GS‑9 have completed the required education and are working toward licensure prerequisites. Must demonstrate the KSAs listed below.
      • Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - GS-11 (Full Performance Level): In addition to basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of post‑master's or post‑doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non‑VA) and be licensed to practice at the independent practice level. Must demonstrate the KSAs for GS‑9 plus the additional KSAs listed below.
    • Preferred Experience: Experience with Veterans.
    • Physical Requirements: There are no physical requirements for this occupation per OCHCO Communications email to VA Handbook 5019 (updated 4/17/2026).

    Skills

    We need to list KSAs. There are two sets: GS-9 KSAs (1-9) and GS-11 additional KSAs (1-8). We'll combine maybe as separate lists. We'll produce:

    Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

    • GS‑9 level:
      1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow‑up.
      2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices.
      3. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive‑affective‑behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high‑risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life span.
      4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills.
      5. Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups, and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively.
      6. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely, and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth.
      7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA.
      8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling.
      9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.
    • GS‑11 level (in addition to GS‑9):
      1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendations for treatment planning and implementation.
      2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process, which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship.
      3. Ability 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 counseling perspectives and orientation.
      4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress; requires independent judgment and skill.
      5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidence‑based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment.
      6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills.
      7. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices.
      8. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho‑education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration; may include evidence‑based psychotherapy.
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           Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)