Licensed Profession Mental Health Counselor, Substance Use Disorder Program

The Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program consists of an intensive outpatient program, medication management, individual and group outpatient services, and at times inpatient consultation located within Mental Health Service. The clinician holding this position will provide evaluation and treatment of veterans engaged in the SUD program. Care may be provided in outpatient, residential, and inpatient settings.Qualifications: Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Education: Must 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). Examples of related Mental Health counseling fields include, but are not limited to Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. (Transcript Required)
• Licensure: Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice Mental Health counseling, which includes diagnoses and treatment.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following grade specific requirements must also be met.
GS-11 grade level:
Experience: Must have at least 1 year of post-master's degree Mental Health counseling experience. The experience must have been obtained AFTER earning a Master's Degree in Mental Health counseling. The experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current Mental Health counseling practice. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to LPMHC experience at the next lower grade level.
OR
Education: In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in Mental Health counseling, or a related field may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional Mental Health counseling experience.
AND
Licensure: At the GS-11 level, they are licensed to independently practice professional counseling and to provide Mental Health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling. They may be assigned to any Mental Health VHA area, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. LPMHCs may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities.
You will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
1) Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation.
2) Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship.
3) Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation.
4) Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill.
5) Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced-based practices, screening and psychosocial assessment.
6) Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills.
7) Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices.
8) Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho-education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy.
References: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor are described in VA Handbook 5005/42, Part II, Appendix G43.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.
Physical Requirements: This position requires minimal physical exertion, light lifting (under 15 lbs), light carrying (under 15 lbs), working closely with others and working alone. The employee will use a computer to access the medical record for entry and retrieval of information. The employee will need to be able to hear conversational speech. Hearing aid permitted. The employee will be expected to move around the patient care environment.Education: IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Employment Type: FULL_TIME