Clarification from the agency

*** This posit ion 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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• Provides direct supervision for clinical and administrative employees located at Fort Harrison within these mental health, higher-level acuity support programs.
• The incumbent directly supervises multiple disciplines separated programmatically across the facility, including multiple clinicians and direct care staff at the doctoral and advanced practice levels.
• Manages the daily operation of the above complex treatment programs, develops policies and procedures for program operation, and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use.
• The incumbent has administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program outcomes.
• Utilize relevant data to assess effectiveness of these programs and create plans for quality improvement. In conjunction with the service chief, the incumbent plans, organize and direct administrative, operational, patient and personnel activities for the service areas.
• Monitor, evaluate, coordinate and oversee the performance of staff.
• Ensure staff adherence to accreditation standards to include CARF and Joint Commission, VA directives and handbooks, standard operating procedures and standards developed specifically to the department.
• Manage and control the use of data related to these programs regarding day-to-day functioning and program evaluation.
• Responsible for the RRTP budget and control points assigned to the programs.
• The incumbent is responsible for monthly billing protocols related to memorandums of understanding, VA grants and contracts, interagency agreements and fiscal management protocols. As program manager for these critical programs, the incumbent frequently interacts with facility and VISN leadership. The incumbent also serves as subject matter expert to respond to legislative and media inquiries, through coordination with the facility legislative and media liaisons.
• The incumbent is called up to provide tours of the programs for dignitaries and other visitors. Programs overseen by this position may receive wide-ranging media attention.

Clinical Responsibilities:

• Independently provides biopsychosocial assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of psychopathology receiving care within the clinical setting. Has working knowledge and experience in use of mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures; this includes acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology.
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families. Provides education to both patients and family members regarding relevant mental health concerns.
• Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation
• Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.
• Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plan for patients to ensure that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the Medical Center.
• Has the ability to evaluate his/her own practice through professional peer review, case conference, and other organizational means.
• Develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients.
• Complies with MTVAHCS Bylaws and other documentation requirements, including timely completion of prescribed templates for documenting results of assessment, treatment, and risk evaluation contacts.
• Adheres to all Facility and service line policies and practices for delivering clinical care, including but not limited to suicide risk reduction practices, timeliness of care and access standards, professional conduct requirements, and CPRS documentation conventions.
• Achieves clinical workload expectations as established by directive and the ACOS, MH.

Education and Training:

• Provides internship and externship opportunities for various healthcare disciplines
• Provides clinical supervision and/or training for medical residents, medical students, mental health counselor interns, psychology interns, nurse residents, or other trainees
• Provides didactics as needed

Work Schedule: Negotiable between applicant and hiring manager.
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: N
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact mailto:rita.owens@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Functional Statement # 436-612300
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

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.

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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.


Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospital, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. The incumbent may carry and lift light 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.