Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of the other agencies and all US Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The LPMHC will demonstrate effectiveness in assessing for problems or concerns unique to patient population status as military veterans while independently, or in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, family members, and significant others, arriving at a reasoned diagnosis of patient problems and needs. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients, including geriatric patients, related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, and age-associated illnesses and conditions. The incumbent must have an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric veteran, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this veteran population. Duties include but not limited to:

The PCMHI LPMHC uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competences in the following core domains.

PC-MHI Clinical Practice: Conduct functional assessments, based on 30-minute appointments and will triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate.

• Applies principals of population-based care (defines role and identifies problems rapidly).
• Majority of all appointments are less than 30 minutes.
• Uses brief assessments routinely (e.g., PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT C, etc.).
• Initial consultation appointments are based on functional assessments and treatment focuses on functional outcomes.
• Maintains daily open access slots.
• Next available "scheduled" appointment is within two weeks .
• Provide brief mental health and behavioral interventions (e.g., 1-5 sessions for broad range of concerns).

• Writes clear concise notes, generally ½-1 page long, with explicit impression, recommendations and plan for PCP use
• Notes document curbside consultation results.
• Notes are completed within 24 hours.

• Routinely Consults with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients.
• Conducts effective curbside consultations.
• Integrates within primary care team and works closely in collaboration with PACT team - Attends PACT meetings and daily huddles.
• Routinely provides feedback (verbal and/or written) to PCP and other PACT members same day as referral .
• Uses warm-hand off strategy.
• Provides education to PACT on BH issues as well as consultation on tips for successful care management and patient facilitation, even when no direct patient contact.

• Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as endorsed by supervisors.
• Participates in LPMHC privileging, educational and peer review activities, in accord with LPMHC and medical center policies.
• Participates as a non-voting member of the medical staff, in accord with medical staff by-laws.
• Participates in support OBVAMC and LPMHC administrative and performance improvement activities, e.g., by taking on assigned projects and serving on committees.
• Completes required clinician and administrative documentation in a timely manner and in accord with governing regulations.

• Supervises psychology practicum students in accord with training program policies and accrediting agency requirements.
• Provides staff and student didactic training and consultation as requested in content areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise.
• May supervise or train allied health providers in accord with facility and regulatory standards regarding such training.

• May participate in program evaluation and/or research activities.

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.

• 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.

Qualifications

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. 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-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.

Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12
Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
1. Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment.
2. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling, or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial, and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans.
3. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data.
4. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients, rendering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills.
5. Ability to teach, mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications.
6. Ability to engage in written and oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession.

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

Preferred Experience. Experience in providing brief therapeutic interventions, experience in working in a primary care setting, experience in health psychology/behavioral medicine

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

How you will be evaluated

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

Area of Consideration: - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

• Current permanent VA employees of the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center
• All other VA employees
• Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies
• VHA HPTs (if applicable)
• All other applicants