The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) for whom this functional statement applies is assigned as a member of the Mental Health Services (MHS) at VA Northern Indiana Health Care System (VANIHCS). Incumbent provides a full range of evaluation and psychotherapeutic clinical services to Veterans with challenging and complex psychiatric and substance abuse problems, family members and caregivers. 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. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. 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. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Additional information may be obtained from http://www.cacrep.org/directory/. NOTE: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs that are accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation counseling. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0101 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. 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-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post- doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (c) below. LPMHCs may provide clinical supervision over the clinical practice of an unlicensed LPMHC or LPMHC trainee. Some state licenses do not license an individual to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Please refer to specific state licensing laws regarding the requirements for providing clinical supervision. Assignments. This is the full performance grade level for LPMHCs. At this 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. LPMHCs may be assigned to any VHA area, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. LPMHCs may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G43. Qualification Standards for LPMHC. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: Light carrying, under 15 pounds; use of fingers; walking; standing; operation of motor vehicle; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; hearing (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability ["At this level, incumbent is licensed to independently practice professional counseling and to provide mental health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling. He/she 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. Clinical Responsibilities - Provides a full range of evaluation services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients many of whom have psychiatric and medical problems. Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others. - Provides evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. - Provides consultation to professional staff within VANIHCS and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients with psychological and psychiatric problems. - Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for Veterans with psychological and psychiatric problems-patients receiving services within the VANIHCS Mental Health Service. - Provides case management and support to Veterans with psychiatric and psychological problems. - Works collaboratively and cooperatively with an interdisciplinary treatment team to provide services to Veterans with psychiatric and psychological problems. - Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Administrative Responsibilities - Adheres to-operational policies and procedures established by the VA, supervisors and program for the treatment team. - Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services. - Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. - Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures and workload entry, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). - Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by supervisors and program treatment team, the Mental Health Service Chief (or designee), Assistant Chief of Mental Health (or designee), Psychology Program Manager and facility Director. - Assists the Mental Health Program coordinators/directors in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers. - Assists the Mental Health Program coordinators/directors and Mental Health Service Chief, Assistant Chief of Mental Health or Psychology Program Manager in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program in Mental Health Service. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (some evening clinic may be required) Telework: Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91810-0 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. The VA Martinsburg Healthcare System offers a wide range of health, support, and facility services for Veterans at 8 locations serving western Maryland, south-central Pennsylvania, northwest Virginia, and West Virginia’s eastern panhandle. Primary Care services are offered at the following locations. Martinsburg WV, Hagerstown MD, Cumberland MD, Franklin WV, Harrisonburg VA, Petersburg WV and Winchester VA.
OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
Physicians interested in caring for our America's Veterans and their families, email Nicole.Carey@va.gov or call 304-620-4354.
