Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of the facility/CBOCs where this vacancy is located Alexandria VA Healthcare System. 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 Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist carries a caseload of Veterans requiring intensive, multifaceted interventions and provides individual, group, couples, and family therapy.

Duties include but not limited to:

• Provides comprehensive clinical assessments, diagnostic impressions within licensure scope, and evaluation of complex mental health presentations including co-occurring substance use, medical, and psychiatric conditions.
• Provides education to Veterans, families, and significant others on mental health conditions and treatment options.
• Provides individual, family, conjoint, and group counseling within LMFT scope of practice.
• Delivers evidence-based, recovery-oriented interventions appropriate to licensure and privileging.
• Provides crisis intervention, risk assessment, safety planning, stabilization, and follow-up.
• Conducts biopsychosocial assessments addressing mental health, substance use, trauma history, medical concerns, strengths, and psychosocial needs.
• Identifies high-risk factors including suicidality, homelessness, interpersonal violence, or justice involvement.
• Responds to and triages consults, ensuring timely access to appropriate care.
• Develops, implements, and revises treatment plans reflecting measurable, recovery-oriented goals.
• Provides individual, group, and family counseling within LMFT scope.
• Utilizes evidence-based practices, including CBT, MI, and problem-solving approaches.
• Independently provides crisis intervention, including assessment and management of suicidal or homicidal risk.
• Maintains advanced knowledge of mental health and substance use treatment, trauma-informed care, relapse prevention, case management, and psychosocial rehabilitation.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm; subject to change based on facility needs
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 01022F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorize

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 identification 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. MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j.
• 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,
• 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.
• 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.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level).

Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12 (Advanced)

Education, Experience and Licensure. Candidate must have successfully completed evidence based training in family therapy and must have graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program OR have passed the AMFTRE. Candidate must have at least five years of post-licensed clinical experience in delivery of family systems therapy including one-year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. This experience must demonstrate the use of an evidence based family therapy model while exhibiting progressive professional competency and expertise. Assignments requiring responsibility for providing clinical supervision must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)s: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs listed below:

• Ability to provide specialized consultation for complex cases involving individuals, families and/or couples utilizing evidenced-based family systems theory/therapy.
• Ability to provide crisis intervention which includes assessment, safety planning and complex treatment planning using independent clinical judgment utilizing family systems theory/therapy.
• Ability to provide family systems therapy, which seeks to address Veterans and their family members on an individual level and deals with interpersonal interactions.
• Ability to provide unlicensed MFT staff/trainees with systemic clinical supervision towards licensure from a family systems theory/therapy perspective

Preferred Experience:

• Treatment of Veterans and/or VA experience
• 2-years experience providing psychotherapy and service related to alcohol and/or substance use
• Experience with couples and family therapy

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-12.

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, puling, 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.

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.