Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor- PCMHI

About the role

This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions.

Responsibilities

• Provides functional assessment, triage, brief intervention, education and consultative services regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns, on referral from primary care providers and allied PACT members.
• Demonstrates expertise in using contemporary interview and psychometric assessment methods for mental disorders and/or behavioral health conditions.
• Provides evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions and behavioral medicine interventions as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker, which may include individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation.
• Achieves minimal clinical workload expectations as established by the service line.
• Develops comprehensive treatment plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members documenting patient-generated concerns and goals, measurable objectives, and interventions for clinical treatment.
• Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up, and referral.
• Routinely consults with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients. Integrates within primary care team and works closely in collaboration with PACT team, attending daily and regularly recurring meetings and huddles.
• Engages and provides feedback to PCP and other PACT team members with same day referrals and warm hand-offs. Provides education to PACT on MH issues as well as consultation on tips for successful management of mental health symptoms and concerns impacting medical conditions.
• Serves as a mentor to other LPMHCs, particularly those at the entry level. Provides clinical supervision for unlicensed MHCs.
• As a field instructor or preceptor, provides unlicensed MHC staff/trainees with clinical supervision towards licensure and/or for specialty certifications.

Requirements

The area of consideration will be referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent employees of other Federal agencies. 2. Veterans. 3. The Public.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

• Basic Requirements:
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.
• Grade Determinations:
• Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12: Experience, Education, and Licensure - At least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, plus five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and being licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.
• Physical Requirements:
• There are no physical requirements for this occupation per OCHCO Communications email to VA Handbook 5019, updated on 4/17/2026.