Clarification from the agency

*** This position is ONLY open to current, permanent Montana Veterans Health Care System employees Employees *** NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Administrative Functions:

• Provides broad program management responsibilities for several programs, including leadership in the development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight of complex programs responsible for comprehensive clinical care of Veterans.
• Leads several multidisciplinary teams, which include psychologists, physicians, social workers, nurses, and other health care professionals and trainees. The manager of this program oversees approximately 40 personnel.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the programs, with the approval of the affiliated Service Line Leader.
• Conducts ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects.
• Organizes and leads leadership team meetings to facilitate case disposition, care management, and effective delivery of clinical interventions, and the adherence to administrative demands.
• Ensures timely access to care of patients assigned to each team, in accordance with local and national policies.
• Monitors compliance of team leaders and members with VA performance measures and effectively shapes provider practice patterns to improve standing on performance measures.
• Provides clinical supervision, as appropriate, to assigned team leaders and members regarding adherence to WCHCS clinical and legal standards and policies, documentation of CPRS procedures, and the clinical management of difficult, complex, and dangerous patients.
• Ensures that appropriate coverage is arranged for patient care responsibilities when staff members are on leave.
• Allocates resources within Programs, based on a data-driven decision-making process with consideration given to the overall needs of the organization and Service Line (e.g., productivity, clinic utilization, staffing needs, barriers to access, etc.).
• Oversee survey readiness for all programs in their respective section, in collaboration with Mental Health Leadership and the QI Manager. Center, VISN and VACO, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies such as JCAHO.
• Responsible for timely completion of all program evaluations and documents required by the Medical Center, VISN and VACO, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies such as JCAHO.
• Coordinate closely with the assigned administrative partner to ensure section administrative support, human resource, strategic planning, space, and budget needs are met.

Clinical Functions:

• Psychological Assessment and Diagnosis: The practice of psychological assessment and diagnosis includes the selection of measures, administration and interpretation of clinical interviews and psychometric measures for the purpose of assessing symptoms of psychopathology, personality functioning, cognition, quality of life, and functional impairment. This includes neuropsychological screening instruments.
• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy includes treatment delivered to individuals, groups, and couples/families using education, supportive therapy, behavioral interventions, and evidence- based psychotherapies appropriate for presenting problems or clinical diagnoses.
• Assess, stabilize, and determine disposition of patients with emergent mental health conditions consistent with medical staff policy regarding emergency and consultative call service.
• Conduct and document suicide and homicide risk evaluations and assessments and implement safety planning.
• Develop individualized mental health treatment plans for assigned patients. Reassess and modify treatment plans as necessary to achieve mental health goals.
• Provide counseling and education to patients, families, and caregivers on mental health.
• Provide ongoing consultation and education to staff nurses, medical team, and student trainees.
• Provide mental health consultation to other disciplines/services and the medicine wards.
• Initiate consultations with and referrals to other services and community agencies as clinically indicated.
• Admit patients to the Mental Health Inpatient Unit and residential unit, including evaluation for admission and initiation of inpatient orders.
• Manage behavioral treatment of patients on the Mental Health inpatient and residential units.
• Serve as on-call clinician for the Mental Health Service, providing mental health consultation to the Emergency Department and medicine wards and conducting clinical rounds on the mental health inpatient unit.
• Order patient care and prosthetic (e.g., recorders for psychotherapy) supplies as appropriate.
• Participate in quality improvement review, including systematic review of records.
• Provide the above specified services in person and via telehealth technology.

Work Schedule: Negotiable between applicant and hiring manager.
Functional Statement #436-612290
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact mailto:rita.owens@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• 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.

Drivers License: A valid state drivers license is required as this position requires local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans through the use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements.

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 (Care Line Manager/VISN/National), GS-14 - Program Manager Leadership

• Experience, Education and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. They must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-13 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

1. Advanced knowledge and skill in management/administration of multidisciplinary mental health programs at complex facilities and/or across multiple sites which includes supervision, consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
2. Demonstrated global knowledge of mental health counseling practice to develop, maintain, and oversee programs in all settings.
3. Ability to provide consultation on policy implementation, qualification standards, counseling practice, and competency with medical center director, VISN, or national program managers that are consistent with organizational goals and objectives.
4. Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and mental health practice guidelines in multiple professional areas, and the ability to use these resources to guide the program staff in providing appropriate treatment interventions.
5. Ability to influence high level officials in adoption of, and conformance to, performance measures, monitors, and other policy guidelines.

Preferred Experience: None

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-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14.

Physical Requirements: The Incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the incumbent or others. May carry and lift items weighing up to 20 pounds.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.