Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor- Clinical Resource Hub

About the role

The VISN Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program Team (BHIP) Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor position is a VISN based position located in VISN 20. A Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) is a repository of clinical and administrative staff that serve Veterans Affairs facilities within the Veterans Integrated System Network VISN 20.

Responsibilities

• Maintains advanced level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families.
• Independently works with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems.
• Completes a thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent uses advanced knowledge and mastery of theories of physical and mental illness to independently develop a diagnosis, treatment plan, and recovery goals in collaboration with the veteran and or the veteran's family/caregivers. Incumbent assists veteran to maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable. (i.e. choosing best EBP for symptoms and challenges.)
• Participates as a member of an BHIP treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members, including but not limited to Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Social Workers, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors (LPMHC), RNs, Peer Support Specialists and Administrative Support staff, in the development and implementation of a treatment plan.
• Possesses advanced knowledge and experience in use of mental health and substance abuse diagnoses and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses.
• Facilitates discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner.
• Serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services.
• Possesses advanced knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families.
• Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community programs.
• Provides consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning.
• Possesses advanced skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness.
• Demonstrates advanced ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from diverse backgrounds. Independently assesses and takes the lead to provide emergency/crisis intervention services to outpatients experiencing acute psychological crises, helping to stabilize these individuals, assisting in the referral arrangements for transfer to a psychiatric facility for inpatient care if necessary and providing follow up care as needed.
• Responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility.
• Serves on committees and work groups at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor.
• Recognized as a leader and role model on his/her BHIP team and in the delivery of LPMHC services in TMH. Furthers one's own professional growth through continuing education and remains informed of the most up to date evidenced based treatment practice especially within TMH.

Qualifications

• 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, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
• Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 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.
• Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.