Clarification from the agency

This is an INTERNAL ANNOUNCEMENT and is limited to current permanent VA Nationwide 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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The incumbent provides couples and family psychotherapy virtually through the VISN23 Clinical Resource Hub. The incumbent works closely with the facility BHIP teams, Substance Abuse Treatment Program, PTSD program, OEF/OIF and other Behavioral Health services to ensure a seamless transition to appropriate services for Veterans. The incumbent provides crisis intervention as needed for Veterans in Behavioral Health in the outpatient setting. This position may also provide psychotherapy and case management services to the VISN 23 Care in the Community program.

The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating complicated psychosocial problems and family dynamics. The incumbent completes thorough psychosocial assessments when the Veteran is referred and will complete a thorough mental health treatment plan when a Veteran engages in mental health services. The incumbent provides psychotherapy with individuals, couples, and families; crisis intervention; supportive counseling; and referral for resources and benefits. The incumbent must possess training and experience to provide high quality individual, couples, and group psychotherapy to this population.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Maintains high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families. Independently works with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems.
2. Completes a thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable.
3. Participates as a member of an BHIP treatment team when appropriate and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members, including but not limited to Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Social Workers, RNs, Peer Support Specialists and Administrative Support staff, in the development and implementation of a mental health treatment plan.
4. Facilitates discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner.
5. Implements treatment modalities, provides psychotherapy, counseling and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families. Preference will be given to individuals who have completed at least one VA-sponsored evidence-based psychotherapy training in family and/or couples psychotherapy (e.g., IBCT, CBCT-PTSD). Providing evidence-based psychotherapy in an episodes of care model is required.
6. Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, specialty programs, and advance directives. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community programs.
7. Provides consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning.
8. Provides case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness.
9. Provides emergency/crisis intervention services to outpatients experiencing acute psychological crises, helping to stabilize these individuals, assisting in referral arrangements for transfer to a psychiatric facility for inpatient care if necessary and providing follow up care as needed.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CT (compressed tours may be considered)
Remote: This position is designated as remote. The option for remote work will be assessed continuously, and the selected individual may need to return to a VA office if required. The selectees must live within 50 miles of a VA Medical Center (NOTE: This does not include CBOCs). Internet speed tests may be requested to verify/determine suitability for remote work for candidates in consideration under this announcement.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.
• 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 examination.
• 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

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
1) United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

2) English Language Proficiency: Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j.

3) Education: Candidates must meet one of the following:

• Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, OR
• Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR
• Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession.

4) Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State.

• Exception: VA may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a MFT that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed MFT who is at or above the full performance level. Failure to become licensed within three years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0182 MFT series and may result in termination of employment. This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed.

4) Grandfathering Provision: 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).

Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-9 (Entry Level) Grade Requirements:
1) Experience, Education and Licensure.

• The entry level grade is used for non- licensed MFTs or for MFTs (master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice (Journey) level. Unlicensed MFTs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education, and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure.

2) Demonstrated KSAs. The candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice and assessment tools.
• Ability to assess, with supervision, the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members.
• Knowledge to formulate, implement, and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system.
• Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services, under supervision, to individuals, groups, couples and families in a manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy.
• Ability to draft documents, manage data, maintain accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and track quality improvements.

Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Grade Requirements:
1) Experience, Education and Licensure:

• In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below. OR
• In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting, and the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the KSAs below.

2) Demonstrated KSAs: You must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members.
• Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns.
• Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy. This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality.
• Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs.
• Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements.

Preferred Experience: Because this position requires independent practice and the delivery of services through telehealth technologies, we will consider only candidates with at least five years of VHA experience to include experience with virtual care technologies. Preference will be given to individuals who have completed at least one VA-sponsored evidence-based psychotherapy training in family and/or couples psychotherapy (e.g., Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, CBTCT-PSTD).

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package.

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

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

How you will be evaluated

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

Eligible applications will be reviewed in the following order:

1. Current permanent VHA employees
2. All other current permanent VA employees

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.