Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This job is open to current permanent VA Nationwide employees and U.S. Citizens

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Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor programs include, but are not limited to, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Specialty Mental Health, Homeless/HUD VASH, Residential treatment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Compensated Work Therapy Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Recovery Center, Primary Care Mental Health Integration, Substance Use Disorders, Acute Inpatient, and General Mental Health.

Duties:

• Supervises a multidisciplinary team including licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional mental health counselors, addiction therapists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and peer support specialists.
• Monitors work performance to ensure that requirements are satisfied; and interpret and process a wide variety of data related to program planning in the specialized needs of the Veterans.
• Responsible for the management of key clinical, training and administrative programs to include full responsibility for managing the day-to-day activities of those programs.
• Responsible for strategic planning to ensure the provision of high-quality services to meet the needs of Veterans being served in planning.
• Develops and implements programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, VHA policy and external accreditation requirements. They monitor outcomes using data driven quality assurance processes and implement strategies for improvement based on data analysis.
• Assists in maintaining inter-departmental relations with other services to meet organization goals.
• Prepares special reports and responses, Congressional responses, briefing papers, issue briefs, and decision papers for Medical Center leadership, which may be highly sensitive, confidential, and complex.
• Develops policies and procedures and may also develop performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements.
• Monitors the clinical performance of staff, conduct performance appraisals, and perform other clinical and administrative responsibilities to ensure that the mission of the service and the Medical Center has been satisfied.
• Sets training objectives for staff and delegate responsibilities to subordinate sections.
• Performs performance evaluations of all staff assigned to the program, approves time and leave, approves overtime and comp-time, monitors and oversees fund control points, and oversees daily operations, including budgetary oversight.
• Assists in effective integration of program efforts/activities with other medical center operations, community-based agencies and activities.
• Delegates appropriate authority to subordinate leaders and coordinators. Assures responsibility for overall performance of their work units.
• Ensures compliance with local and system wide program policy manuals and directives.
• Develops productivity standards appropriate to each service provided and each venue.
• Prepares for the Healthcare System Director's signature after appropriate intermediate review, Congressional and other controlled correspondence including responses to Office of Investigative General, General Accountability Office, Congressional Budget Office, and other recommendations relevant to Psychology Service.
• Serves, as directed or required, on any of several Healthcare System, district, regional, and national task groups and committees.
• Adheres to fire, safety, and security requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm (subject to change based on the needs of the facility)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #520-00592-F
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.
• 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 medical 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.

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:

• 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
• 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.
  • Exception. VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. This exception only applies up to the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. (2) The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level. This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9). For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. The Human Resources Office will provide the unlicensed LPMHC in writing the requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date.
  • Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, LPMHCs must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed within three years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0183 LPMHC series and may result in termination of employment.
  • Loss of Licensure. Once licensed, LPMHCs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, which includes diagnosis and treatment. Loss of licensure will result in removal from the GS-0183 LPMHC occupation and may result in termination of employment

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:
Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager), GS-13

Experience, Education and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. The experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:
1. Ability to make judgments and decisions associated with program management.
2. Ability to monitor program outcomes using data driven quality assurance process.
3. Ability to develop productivity standards appropriate to each service provided.
4. Ability to manage a wide range of programs which include the operation and management of key clinical, training or administrative programs.

Preferred Experience:
1. Experience in General Mental Health.
2. Management experience.

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-13.

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.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System
2. All other VA employees
3. All other applicants

Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred based on the Veterans' Preference.

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.