Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Mental Health - PCMHI) Job at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Chesapeake

Summary: This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) - Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC) - Chesapeake Virginia clinic. This position is aligned under the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program (PCMHI) and Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) Hub - which is administratively aligned under the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Line.

Qualifications: 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 RequirementsUnited 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: LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3.j 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 Exception VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure This exception only applies up to the full performance level The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9) For grade levels at or above the full performance level - the candidate must be licensed 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - GS-9 (Entry Level) Experience - Education - and Licensure 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 above and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities 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 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 effective - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds 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 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