The position is located under Behavioral Health, and the staff works as the Licensed Professional Counselor for the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) team. This individual will provide a full range of counseling services to HBPC patients, including screening; counseling and prevention-oriented services. Will also provide evidence-based interventions to help HBPC patients manage behavioral factors associated with behavioral medicine problems and to promote medical compliance. Applicants 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. 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). Examples of related mental health counseling fields include, but are not limited to, Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling; and Marriage and Family Therapy. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-101 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, which includes diagnosis and treatment. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-9 (Entry Level) The GS-9 grade level is the entry grade level for LPMHCs with less than one year of experience (post-master's degree) or for LPMHCs at the master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice level. Unlicensed LPMHCs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed in paragraph 3. b., and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs in below. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. 3. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life span. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 5. Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively. 6. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth. 7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. 8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. 9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. GS-11 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Full Performance Level) In addition to the basic requirements for Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's degree mental health counseling experience; OR In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in mental health counseling, or a related field may be substituted for the required one year of professional mental health counseling experience. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below: 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. Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-43, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-9 or GS-11. Requirements: The work requires sitting, bending, stooping and walking consistent with the delivery of services in the office, hospital and community. The position may entail lifting of no more than 25 pounds on an occasional basis. Whenever possible, carts and dollies will be utilized as an alternative to lifting. ["A - C: (Clinical Responsibilities) = 90% time D: (Administrative) = 10% time A. Assessment: The incumbent independently conducts intake screenings and evaluations of Veterans and their significant others using the established biopsychosocial admissions criteria to determine the appropriateness of Veterans referred for service in the different treatment components. After admission, performs a comprehensive intake assessment that satisfies Joint Commission (JC) standards and provides clinically meaningful information related to the specific cognitive - social learning treatment approach used in the BHC. The HBPC Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) continues to reassess and monitor the status of problematic behaviors; routinely evaluates the impact that therapeutic interventions have on patient problems; assesses patients' progress toward meeting treatment goals and objectives; determines the need for additional assessment of specific problem areas; conducts and documents a discharge assessment that summarizes the extent to which each problem is resolved and the extent to which additional treatment is needed. B. Treatment: The HBPC LPMHC functions as the primary mental health provider of the HBPC team, providing mental health prevention, treatment, management and professional consultative services, as well as crisis intervention. Mental health treatment and prevention-oriented services will emphasize evidence-based and best practice approaches. - Provides screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depressive and anxiety related disorders, as well as other Axis I conditions, with an emphasis on the application of time-limited, evidence-based approaches. - Assesses and provides treatment for sub-clinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, and excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs. - Provides services to the families of veterans with dementia being served by HBPC. - Provides individual and group interventions to support patients that are coping with feelings of grief and loss associated with disability and other life transitions. - Provides psycho-educational and supportive interventions, in conjunction with the veteran, for spouses, family members/caregivers, and others that are crucial to keeping the veteran at home. - Provides behavioral medicine interventions to manage pain, disability, address sleep problems, facilitate weight loss, promote smoking cessation, and enhance medical compliance. C. Case Management: The case management responsibilities of the HBPC LPMHC do not differ from other BHC staff (i.e., Psychologist, Social Worker, or Nurse). If a patient is engaged in therapy with the counselor, he or she will be designated as the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC). The role of the MHTC is to coordinate treatment activities to ensure that each patient is provided with an individualized, integrated, biopsychosocial approach to case management. In this regard, the Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor will: - Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her caseload. - Write a diagnostic summary which integrates biopsychosocial assessment data in a manner that leads to the development of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan specific to the HBPC treatment model. - Participate in the development of the comprehensive treatment plan, discuss the plan with patients, and ensure that the plan is current and complete. - Reassess each patient as needed in order to determine the status of his/her current clinical problems, current needs, and responses to treatment. - Gather data during these assessments and progress review sessions in order to help make decisions regarding a) the need for further assessment by the HBPC or Medical Center staff; b) the need to revise the patient's comprehensive treatment plan; c) the patient's readiness to move on to the next treatment week; and d) the appropriateness of referrals. - Handle requests of an administrative nature and act as the patient's primary contact person. - Conduct a discharge assessment, create a discharge plan, and ensure a referral/ contact with a follow-up agency. - Performs other duties as assigned D. Program and Staff Development: The incumbent takes a supportive role in the administrative/clinical functions of the program such as quality assurance, policy and procedure development, program planning, preparation of reports, and other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: May be available based upon agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
