Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Substance Use Disorder

Summary
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
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 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
• 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-0183 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
• NOTE: It is VHA policy that a LPMHC who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record
• 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
• 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)
• All persons employed in VHA in as LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance level - or demoted within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Grade Determinations: 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 in paragraph 3.b. - and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Those candidates who have experience with an emphasis on Substance Us Disorder treatment are highly preferred
• Those with familiarity with co-occurring disorders - harm reduction strategies - and culturally responsive treatment approaches are also highly preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work are generally minor
• The work is primarily sedentary (1-2 hours) in nature and usually occurs within climate controlled clinical and administrative settings
• Use of fingers may be required to operate computers
• There may be occasional light lifting/carrying (15 pounds or less) requirements to relocate boxed materials from one area to another - equipment and room set-up - and ambulation related to physical inspections of the facilities clear speech - hearing - and emotional stability) and environmental factors.
  

Duties

• The selected Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) Substance Use Disorder (SUD) will be assigned to the Mental Health Service of the Orlando VA Healthcare System
• Some of the duties include - but are not limited to
• Provides care management services to Veterans referred to SUD to include Comprehensive assessments - Referral management - Watchful waiting and Care management for depression
• Provides education to patients - family members - and significant others
• Consults with and serves as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for - evaluation of - and development of psychological services in OVHCS
• May be asked to assist in the selection - training - and supervision of staff at lower grades within assigned program area
• Willingly accepts additional and special assignments that are necessary to meet program goals or Veteran needs
• Completes all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system in a timely and accurate manner - as appropriate
• Manages the Behavioral Health Lab (BHL) Software and develops a working knowledge of the production end of the BHL software program
• Prepares timely summaries of collected data to the direct supervisor
• Consult management duties as assigned
• May be selected by the Program manager and Deputy Program Manager to serve as the service representative on various Mental Health Services - Mental Health and Behavioral Services - System-level - or VISN administrative committees or work groups
• May coordinate programming within both various mental health and primary care programs in coordination with managers of such programs as well as with discipline supervisors of affected staff assigned to these programs
• May be involved in research activities - especially as related to program evaluation responsibilities
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm
• However - the selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis - based on the needs of the service and patient care
• Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Substance Use Disorder (SUD) GS-9/11 82047F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact (VISN8CCOE@va.gov) - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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