Marriage and Family Therapist (BHIP) - EDRP Approved

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 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 are ineligible to apply.

Responsibilities

The Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) serves as a member of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP). The BHIP is a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals which provides comprehensive, accessible, Veteran-centered mental health care. The MFT assigned to BHIP is responsible for coordinating and providing specialty mental and health therapy with a focus on couples, families, individuals, and groups utilizing systemic health theories requiring expertise in interpersonal relationships with conceptualizations that are distinct from individually oriented therapies.

• Conducts assessment interviews, develops treatment plans and provides treatment to eligible Veterans.
• Treatment modalities may include crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach services as well as empirically based treatment for families, couples, and individuals with mental health disorders.
• May refer clients to other programs and professionals as appropriate.
• Participates in and provides consultations to other team members; participates in conjoint emergency treatment with medical facility mental health personnel.

Requirements

• Master's or doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from a regionally accredited institution, or a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry).
• Licensure - Must hold full, current, and unrestricted Marriage and Family Therapy license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a state or pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure.
• 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.

Qualifications

• Health Profession Trainees (HPT's) pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
• All applicants pending licensure as a MFT may be appointed at the GS-9 level while completing pre-license requirements.
• 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.