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Behavioral Health Provider, Krome Behavioral Health Unit (O-3/O-4/O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory

Department of Homeland Security
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC)

Summary

Behavioral Health Provider delivers mental health assessment, counseling, and case management for ICE detainees. Duties include clinical evaluation, treatment planning, crisis intervention, staff education, and coordination with multidisciplinary teams. Requires doctoral or master's degree, clinical license, and 2+ years' experience. This position is non-supervisory.

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

Overview

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Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$1 - $150,000 per year

Please note that the salary is dependent on the officer's rank, years in service, and location of duty station.

Pay scale & grade
CC 3 - 5
Promotion potential
None
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
IHSC-BHP-KBHU-O345-NS-2026
Control number
885464700

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

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Duties

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Serves as field expert on BHU policy workgroup team.
  2. Participate in mental health initiatives and competency training.
  3. Works in conjunction with KBHU Program Manager, HSA, Regional Behavior Health Consultants (RBHC), Chief and Behavioral Health Clinical Consultants in responding to higher level taskings.
  4. Provides input regarding the mental health process review.
  5. Promote a multidisciplinary approach from a treatment standpoint.
  6. Attend BHU bi-monthly meetings.
  7. Identify challenges that impede provider productivity and offer solutions to RBHC.
  8. Travel to Headquarters (HQ) for training and education, as required.
  9. . Provides appropriate referral to outside treatment facilities for those cases of extremely severe mental disturbance referring such detainees to the appropriate mental health facility for intensive mental health care.
  10. Provides identification and evaluation for those identified as having a significant mental illness using Mental Health Review form (IHSC-883).
  11. Provides on-site counseling, psychotherapy, behavioral analysis, substance abuse education, and group therapy as required.
  12. Facilitates individual, group therapy and psychoeducational programs to detainees diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness (SMI).
  13. Possesses a high level of skill in providing a full range of services to include assessing, recognizing, and treating problems related to adjustment, maladaptive behavior. complex differential diagnosis, psychotic spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders (including PTSD), affective disorders, substance use disorders, and medical comorbidities or other conditions.
  14. Determines the need for and provide direct mental health services to detainees with identified mental health and substance abuse problems utilizing psycho educational and treatment modalities as appropriate in the treatment of mental disorders.
  15. Assists the Clinical Director/Designees in providing orientation and guidance to medical staff in Detoxification of Chemically Dependent detainees and actions to take if a detainee is suspected of being chemically dependent on drugs or alcohol upon intake or during custody.
  16. Reports status to a physician if the expected outcome of drug therapy is not being achieved.
  17. Utilizes the multi-disciplinary approach in the treatment planning process for detainees identified with mental health problems.
  18. Provides consultation to medical, ICE, contract staff regarding issues that include, but are not limited to risk assessment for violence, housing recommendations for handling difficult demanding, and mentally ill detainees.
  19. Serves as a mental health and substance abuse consultant within the facility.
  20. Provides education and training to ICE and medical staff in the area of mental health to include, but not limited to, suicide prevention, hunger strike, abuse and neglect and victims of torture.
  21. Facilitates contacts between the detainee patient and his/her social support systems.
  22. Establishes and maintains liaison with other health services professionals and mental health organizations.
  23. Assists in preparation towards accreditation/compliance.
  24. Assists the local performance improvement coordinator in completion of clinical performance improvement/risk identification and management directly related to mental health.
  25. Participates in the local performance improvement committee.
  26. Works in conjunction with ICE/Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) legal counsel providing written evaluation reports on the mental health status of individuals placed on SMI (Seriously Mental Illness List).
  27. Coordinates alongside Headquarters (HQ) mental health unit for continuity of care for placement in, or treatment of, detainees in appropriate settings as required by the conditions of release outlined by ICE.
  28. Responsible for all case management which may involve community treatment placement, hospital placement, or other after care situations.
  29. Utilizes Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system for completing treatment authorization request, case entry and exit reports.
  30. Participate in quarterly peer review.
  31. Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • You must successfully pass a drug screen.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
  • Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
  • ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
  • Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.
  • Applicants without a USPHS commission must begin the USPHS Commissioned Corps application process before applying to this position. Applicants must review the USPHS application requirements and submit an application at www.usphs.gov/apply-now/.
  • Continued employment is contingent upon appointment to, and maintenance of, active-duty status in the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
  • PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

COMPETENCIES:

  1. Superior oral/written communication skills
  2. Leadership skills
  3. Active listening skills
  4. Strong interpersonal skills
  5. Strong organizational and time management skills
  6. Strong problem solving, judgment and decision-making skills
  7. Integrity/honesty
  8. Cultural competency

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

  1. Required to walk unaided at a normal pace for up to 5 minutes and maintain balance.
  2. Required to jog/fast walk up to ¼ mile.
  3. Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
  4. Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging detainees or staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more oneself).
  5. Must be able to see, hear and smell with aids if necessary.
  6. Must easily alternate between kneeling and standing.
  7. Must be able to lift, push, or carry 30 pounds.
  8. Sitting and/or standing for extended periods of time [6-8 hours].
  9. Must perform the duties of my job in a stressful and often austere environment without physical limitations.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  1. For Psychologists, successful completion of a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., or equivalent) directly related to full professional work in clinical or counseling psychology. For Social Workers, successful completion of a Master's degree in Social Work from a graduate program in social work accredited by Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
  2. Licensure Requirement: Psychologists and Social Workers must both hold a full, current, and unrestricted licensed by a State or Territory; at the Doctoral level for psychologists and at the Master's level for social workers (LCSW, LICSW, LMSW-C, or equivalent).
  3. Minimum years of post-licensure clinical experience: O-3 is 2 years; O-4 is 3 years; O-5 is 4 years.
  4. Must possess the knowledge and perform specific functions of Behavioral Health Provider to include but not limited to: Psychological Testing (for psychologists only), Evaluation, Interpretation, Diagnosis and Treatment.
  5. Knowledge of and experience in techniques of various evidence-based treatment modalities.
  6. Experience in conducting group therapy is preferred.
  7. Experience in Serious Mental Illness (SMI) is preferred.
  8. Must maintain full and unrestricted license to practice in any state jurisdiction; and BLS certification every two years is required.
  9. It is the incumbent's responsibility to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain competency. This position requires Behavioral Health Providers to always perform within their scope of clinical license.
  10. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
  11. Flexible and able to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work requirements.
  12. Experience in a correctional setting is preferred.
  13. Bilingual English and Spanish speaker preferred.
  14. Credentialed and privileged with a current, permanent, full and unrestricted license to practice psychology or social work in any state jurisdiction.

Additional information


The KBHU is a 30-bed behavioral health residential unit, within the Krome Service Processing Center (SPC). The KBHU treats detainees with serious mental health needs, and detainees who exhibit debilitating symptoms of psychological distress and/or disorders. The KBHU provides subacute evidence-based and individualized treatment and services utilizing a Modified Therapeutic Community model to improve patient health outcomes.

As KBHU Provider, the incumbent is responsible for assessing, evaluating, and treating the mental health of detainees at the KBHU and supporting the overall Krome behavioral health/IHSC mission. Referring to outside treatment facilities if necessary. Additionally, the Behavioral Health Provider collects and reports pertinent mental health data that may be included in the end-of-year KBHU program report.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,400 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. The IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to ICE detainees at 23 detention facilities throughout the country and manages the provision of off-site medical care for detainees housed in approximately 240 additional Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. The ICE detainee population is approximately 34,000 detainees on a daily basis, with an average length of stay of approximately 30 days, and over 400,000 detainees annually. The IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground and at sea.

DHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

  1. DHS
  2. ICE
  3. ERO
HHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
  1. DHHS
  2. USPHS CC
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
Incumbent reports to the Program Manager at the KBHU and Clinical Director at Krome. If there is no appointed Program Manager at the KBHU, the incumbent shall report to the Clinical Director (CD) Krome and the Regional Behavioral Health Clinical Consultant at IHSC HQ.

Assignments are usually subject to a service remaining requirement (SRR) agreement for a predetermined period of time. Officer reports to the Program Manager, CD, Regional Behavioral Health Consultant and organizes work, determines sequence of assignments and duties.

When clinically indicated, Behavioral Health Provider seeks assistance from Program Manager, CD, RBHC, BHCC, etc.

Work is reviewed regularly by those in the chain of command for adherence to clinical standards and attainment of objectives. The officer uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as DHS/ICE/IHSC policies, regulations, precedents, and work direction for application to specific cases. Officer keeps those in supervisory chain of command informed on the overall status of clinical operations and routinely consults with the same, prioritizing items of high significance for appropriate guidance as indicated.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a comprehensive workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.

The mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. ICE focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism, and combating the illegal movement of people and goods. ICE is the principal investigative arm of DHS and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Created in 2003, through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ICE has more than 20,000 employees in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world. ICE is a key component of the DHS layered approach to protecting our nation from a wide range of threats. For additional information about ICE and career opportunities, please visit www.ice.gov.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting
Email
IHSCrecruiting@ice.dhs.gov
Address
ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.ice.gov/detain/ice-health-service-corps

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