Marriage and Family Therapist (Advanced) (BHIP)

About the role

The Senior Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) within the Mental Health Service at the Alaska VA Healthcare System (Alaska VAHCS) serves as a core member of a multi-disciplinary team. The MFT is responsible for providing family, couple and marriage counseling to Veterans within Alaska VAHCS.

Responsibilities

• Screenings and Assessments: Conduct interviews with Veterans and their significant others to determine specific problems. Independently conduct intake and needs assessments and establish relationships with Veterans within the counseling setting. Make DSM diagnoses as appropriate to level of training.
• Treatment Planning and Goal Setting: Develop comprehensive and goal-directed treatment plans addressing the needs identified in the assessment.
• Clinical Counseling: Provide individual, conjoint, family, couples, and group therapy sessions, potentially using Evidence-Based Psychotherapies.
• Crisis Intervention: Provide crisis intervention, stabilization, and follow-up services, including evaluation and management of suicidal/homicidal patients and other psychiatric emergencies.
• Serve as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees.

Requirements

Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

• Education: Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, or from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution.
• Licensure: Hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State.
• Language Proficiency: Be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j.
• Knowledge: Knowledge of current professional marriage and family therapy practices, including working with couples, families, individuals, and groups utilizing family systems theory/therapy.
• Experience: At least five years of post-licensed clinical experience in delivering family systems therapy, including one-year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, and the use of an evidence-based family therapy model while exhibiting progressive professional competency and expertise.

Benefits

Eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. 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 EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.