Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
• Knowledge of coexisting medical or other mental health disorders and the interrelationship of SUDs.
• Skill in providing individual and group therapy, including using certain SUD Evidenced-Based Therapy (EBTs).
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• Skill in developing and maintaining effective working or therapeutic relationships with multidisciplinary staff, Veterans and their families, and community resources to ensure appropriate referrals.
• Ability to complete the assessment of substance use disorders, treatment/recovery planning and continuing care planning.
• Ability to identify patients who are in psychological distress consistent with VA national policy and within scope of certification and secure appropriate interventions.
• The RRTP SUD specialist is to coordinate treatment planning and delivery of services that best meet the needs of patients diagnosed with SUD.
• Providing direct, concurrent, clinical care using established evidence-based practices for Veterans with SUD presenting to the team. The specialist will provide a range of psychological interventions (family, individual and group) consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on evidenced-based treatments for SUD.
• Evidence-based treatments to be provided to Veterans individually or in group format with appropriate documentation and measurement of effectiveness and Veteran response using clinical judgment and standardized assessment instruments.
• Provides administrative duties including: Scheduling of Veterans and related issues, returning Veterans' phone calls and secure messages, attending organizational meetings.
• On-going professional training and experiences are an expectation of the position. This duty is met through workshops, intra-VA assignments, and distance learning.
• Occasionally, the employee will provide clinical coverage for an absent staff member, as deemed necessary by supervisor.
• Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients.
• Complies with all EHRM documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes).
• Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Chief of Behavioral Health Service Line, RRTP Chief, RRTP Program Manager, Chief of Staff, and facility Director
• Other collateral duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.

• 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

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: AT/LMAT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education: Hold a bachelor's degree in drug and alcohol studies or a related behavioral health field from an accredited college or university. In some jurisdictions, individuals may not be required to hold a bachelor's degree to be licensed in Alcohol and Drug Treatment. VHA will not waive education requirements even if the candidate has a license that does not require a bachelor's degree.
• Licensure:
  • Licensure Requirements: Individuals appointed or reassigned to an AT position in the GS-0101 series must: Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license in a state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia to practice in the field of Alcohol and Drug Treatment; AND
    • Complete one of the following:
      • International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Certification; or
      • National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, National Certified Addiction Counselor Level 1.

• Experience: The entry level assignment is used for ATs who are licensed with less than one year of experience. There is no experience outside of the basic requirements.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): None

• Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR
• Education (Advanced Entry Level Placement): Applicants who meet the GS-05 grade level may be appointed at the GS-07 grade level if they possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study in a drug and alcohol studies or a related behavioral health field with an exemplary academic record as demonstrated by:
  • 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on four years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; OR
  • 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum; OR
  • Class Standing: Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university or major subdivision based on completed courses.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience/education requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs.
  • (a) Knowledge of principles, concepts and methods of counseling and therapies used in treatment of individuals with SUDs.
  • (b) Knowledge of appropriate documentation of substance use history and treatment.
  • (c) Ability to identify patients who are in psychological distress.

• Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • (a) Knowledge of coexisting medical or other mental health disorders as interrelated to SUDs.
  • (b) Ability to complete assessments of substance use disorders, treatment planning and continued care planning.
  • (c) Ability to develop and maintain effective working or therapeutic relationships with multidisciplinary staff, Veterans and their families.

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.