The San Francisco VA Medical Center is recruiting for a full time Marriage and Family Therapist to provide mental health services to the Veteran population enrolled at the Oakland Community Based Outpatient Clinic. NOTE: This position is multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker, Psychologist, and Marriage & Family Therapist. Each discipline is announced separately, and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/29/2023. 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: Candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, (2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR, (3) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession. Example: a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology would not meet this standard as the Psychology standard requires a Ph.D. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. English Language Proficiency. MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) a) Experience, Education and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (b) below. OR, In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting. AND the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSA. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members. 2. Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy. This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality. Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs. Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements. (c) Assignments. MFTs at the full performance level are licensed to independently practice marriage and family therapy. MFTs can provide general mental health services to Veterans within the ethics and guidelines of the professional standards. MFTs at this level formulate, implement, and re- evaluate treatment plans 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. In the event that Advanced or Supervisory level assignments are not established/supportable, the incumbents at this level can be responsible for clinical supervision for licensing purposes only, provided they have an AAMFT approved supervisor credential. References: VA Handbook 5005/101, Part II, Appendix G44, Dated April 18, 2018. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Light lifting (under 15 pounds), Walking (up to 2 hours), Hearing (aid permitted), emotional/mental stability. ["The incumbent provides Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment to Veterans enrolled at the San Francisco VA Medical Center System. The incumbent will work within the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP), a division in the Addiction Recovery Treatment Services at the Oakland CBOC. Among other services, OTP provides opioid treatment therapies (methadone, buprenorphine and extended release naltrexone) for Veterans who suffer from Opioid Use Disorder. The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) will be responsible for care coordination, case management, evidence-based psychotherapies, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies as needed by the Veteran and determined by a treatment plan. The LMFT will provide brief counseling support which can include: identifying strengths, coping skills and support systems, relapse prevention and harm reduction approaches, provide feedback/positive reinforcement, problem-solving barriers to change, solution focused, etc. The LMFT assists Veteran to recognize and cope with a multitude of socioeconomic, personal and psychological problems related to drug use so that he/she may lead a drug-free life and/or minimize the harm of substance use on the Veteran and community. The LMFT may also have opportunities to provide evidence-based psychotherapies. The incumbent will also develop and maintain relationships with community organizations and housing programs to better help Veterans enrolled in Mental Health and Addictions Recovery Treatment Service (ARTS) at the Oakland CBOC. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Title/Functional Statement #:Marriage and Family Therapist (ARTS)/PD000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
