The GS-11 Primary Care Mental Health Substance Treatment Services (PCMH/SUD) LPMHC is a full-time position assigned to the Substance Treatment Services Clinic aligned under Behavioral Health and based in the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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-0101 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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. 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, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post- doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (c) below. LPMHCs may provide clinical supervision over the clinical practice of an unlicensed LPMHC or LPMHC trainee. Some state licenses do not license an individual to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Please refer to specific state licensing laws regarding the requirements for providing clinical supervision. (b) Assignments. This is the full performance grade level for LPMHCs. At this level they are licensed to independently practice professional counseling and to provide mental health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling. LPMHCs may be assigned to any VHA area, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. LPMHCs may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. 2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 3. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation. 4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. 5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. 6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 7. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices. 8. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho- education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy. References: April 3, 2018 VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43 II-G43 The full performance level of this vacancy is at the GS-11 level. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of Incumbent or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require minimal travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who assist and support to the Syracuse VAMC, its Veterans and caregivers. ["The Syracuse VAMC is a large social work service located in a highly complex (complexity level 1) VA facility, covering thirteen (13) counties and including seven (7) CBOCs. It provides diverse services to Veterans, families and caregivers, and is an affiliated tertiary care health care system. Services include multiple specialty care programs that are highly technical and complex across the continuum of care, including an SCI Center, Level II Polytrauma Center for VISN 2, and an Amputee Center of Care. Syracuse VAMC partners with three (3) Vet Centers and has a VA/DOD Sharing agreement with Fort Drum, located in our catchment area. The PCMHI/SUD LPMHC completes assessments, provides Motivational Interviewing, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for SUD and psychoeducation, works with family members and external stakeholders when appropriate and offers Contingency Management (CM) when appropriate. The PCMHI/SUD LPMHC provides ongoing education to primary care providers on Substance Use Disorders, such as assessment and diagnosis, motivational interviewing to encourage engagement in treatment, and treatment options as appropriate. The LPMHC may provide case management services, such as assisting Veterans who need to get into residential treatment. The LPMHC will monitor and, when appropriate help to complete, SUD related clinical reminders for Veterans who present to primary care. Note: This position may be filled by a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor or a Social Worker or a Psychologist. These three positions are advertised separately on Usajobs. If you are interested in any position, please apply to the respective job announcement. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday: 8 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement: LPMHC Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

Return to Search Results