Marriage and Family Therapist (Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program)

About the role

The Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) serves as a member of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP), a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals providing comprehensive, accessible, Veteran-centered mental health care.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: United States citizenship required. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Education: Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following:
  • Marriage and Family Therapy from a program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
  • Marriage and Family Therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution
  • A comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, or Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession
• Licensure: Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted Marriage and Family Therapy license to independently practice in a state, or be pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure.
  • GS-9 only: VA may waive the licensure requirement for up to 3 years for an MFT providing care under clinical supervision of a licensed MFT at or above full performance level. Failure to become licensed within three years results in removal from the GS-0182 MFT series and may result in termination.
  • May qualify under the Grandfathering Provision per VA Qualification Standard (applicable only to current VHA employees in this occupation who meet criteria).

Grade Determinations

GS-09 MFT (Entry Level) — In addition to basic education requirements, must demonstrate:

• 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, 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

GS-11 MFT (Full Performance Level) — In addition to basic requirements, must have at least one year of post-master's degree experience in marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA) OR a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable mental health degree meeting VA qualification standards, which may substitute for the required experience. Must demonstrate:

• Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members
• Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples, and families that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical, and legal issues and concerns
• Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations, and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy, including the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment (including limits of confidentiality)
• Ability to provide orientation, training, and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs
• Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely, and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements

Preferred Experience

• VA or DOD experience
• Work experience in community settings
• Experience incorporating outcome measurement based care into treatment
• Experience with evidence-based psychotherapies for individuals, groups, couples, and families
• Experience in case management in complex settings
• Experience in outpatient general mental health clinics

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and provide specialty mental health therapy with a focus on couples, families, individuals, and groups utilizing systemic health theories requiring expertise in interpersonal relationships with conceptualizations distinct from individually oriented therapies
• Conduct assessment interviews, develop treatment plans, and provide treatment to eligible Veterans
• Utilize treatment modalities including crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach services, and empirically based treatment for families, couples, and individuals with mental health disorders
• Refer clients to other programs and professionals as appropriate
• Participate in and provide consultations to other team members
• Participate in conjoint emergency treatment with medical facility mental health personnel
• Provide a full range of psycho-diagnostic services requiring skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, couples, and/or family psychotherapy as well as advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in treatment of Veterans with a range of DSM diagnoses (including substance abuse/dependence, family issues, and poly-traumatic injuries)
• Utilize knowledge of current professional marriage and family practices; experience must include required use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current professional marriage and family practice working with couples, families, individuals, and/or groups utilizing family systems theory/therapy, as well as the ability to diagnose and treat mental health disorders
• May be responsible for clinical supervision of MFTs for licensing purposes only, provided they hold an AAMFT approved supervisor credential
• May serve as representative for Psychology Service on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups as assigned
• Provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective practice skills
• Opportunities to teach and mentor staff and trainees in the specialty area of practice

Schedule

• Work Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
• Telework: Ad hoc telework available
• Virtual Position: No — this is not a virtual position

Additional Information

• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.
• Functional Statements: GS-9: 54394-F; GS-11: 54395-F
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (