MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST

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.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Screening and Assessments - the LMFT interviews Veterans and their significant others to determine specific problems.
• Independently conducts intake and needs assessment of Veterans and their significant others and establishes a relationship with the Veterans within the counseling setting. This includes making DSM diagnosis as appropriate to level of training.
• Treatment Planning and Goal Setting - The LMFT is responsible for developing comprehensive and unique goal-directed treatment plans that reflect a course of therapeutic intervention to address the needs identified in the assessment.
• Clinical Counseling - The LMFT provides individual, conjoint, family, couples and group therapy for Veterans and significant others, including the potential use of Evidence Based Psychotherapies.
• Crisis Intervention - The LMFT will provide crisis intervention, stabilization, and follow-up for Veterans and significant others. This includes evaluation and management of suicidal/homicidal patients and other psychiatric emergencies.
• Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center as appropriate and may present outcome data as appropriate.
• Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues
• Maintains full clinical privileges as a member of the medical staff.
• Abides by Medical Staff By-Laws for own practice and via oversight for Medical Staff within the Mental Health Service Line.
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees.
• Serves on Medical Center, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces.
• Represents Mental Health Service Line on decision-making committees at the medical center.
• Represents the medical center at professional/program community groups/events and committees.

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements:
• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.
• English Language Proficiency. MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j.
• Education. Candidates must meet one of the following:
• Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE,
• Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR,
• Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession.
• Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State.
• Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT approved license. Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C.§ 7401(3). This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed.
• Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, unlicensed MFTs must actively pursue meeting State prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment.
• Loss of Licensure. Once licensed, MFTs must maintain a full, current and unrestricted license to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS-0182 MFT series and may result in termination of employment.
• Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-9 (Entry Level): Experience, Education and Licensure: The entry level grade is used for non- licensed MFTs or for MFTs (master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice (Journey) level. Unlicensed MFTs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed in paragraph 3b above, and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. the candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) in subparagraph (b) below.
• Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice and assessment tools.
• Ability to assess, with supervision, the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members.
• Knowledge to formulate, implement, and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system.
• Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services, under supervision, to individuals, groups, couples and families in a manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy.
• Ability to draft documents, manage data, maintain accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and track quality improvements.
• Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level): Experience, Education and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (b) below. OR,
• In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting. AND the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSA. Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
• Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members.
• Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice and assessment tools.
• Ability to assess, with supervision, the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members.
• Knowledge to formulate, implement, and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system.
• Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services, under supervision, to individuals, groups, couples and families in a manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy.
• Ability to draft documents, manage data, maintain accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and track quality improvements.