Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Substance Treatment Program Therapist

NOTE: THE 2-PAGE RESUME REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION REFER TO REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BELOW.

Serves as a psychotherapist in the Substance Treatment Program (STP). Provides primarily group psychotherapy case management and individual psychotherapy to Veterans seeking specialty SUD care. Provides a broad range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients many of whom have psychiatric and medical problems in addition to their substance addiction

Clinical

• Independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans identifying the Veterans strengths weaknesses coping skills psychosocial acuity SUD and MH problem identification diagnosis treatment planning implementation evaluation and follow-up. Fully utilizes the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions.
• Delivers services both in-person and via telehealth technologies.
• Conducts groups as part of the IOP/OP and Aftercare program.
• Has specialized knowledge of a wide variety of individual group or family counseling interventions. Treatment approaches include but are not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Motivational Interviewing/Motivational Enhancement Therapy Contingency Management harm reduction mindfulness-based relapse prevention DBT and Evidence-based Psychotherapies for PTSD.
• Establishes goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient.
• Provides complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Ability to assess and safety plan for suicidality.
• Possesses knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes case laws ethical codes and regulations. Provides consultation to clinical staff.
• Communicates effectively with people from varied backgrounds. Serves on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal interpersonal and relational functioning of individuals groups and families and on the counseling approaches strategies and techniques that will best help patients function effectively.
• Complies with all EHRM documentation procedures including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures. Maintains appropriate records and follow-up data.
• Complies with national and local performance measures including timely health care screening and completion of clinical recommendations and measurement based care for all patients.
• Complies with peer review procedures.
• Performs collateral duties as assigned.

Administrative

• Acts as Liaison and Consultant between Wenatchee CBOC and SUD/MH services at Mann-Grandstaff sites of care. May also participate in outreach efforts or conduct trainings on MH and STP to other clinical teams.
• Provides asynchronous case management care coordination referral management individual scheduling and consultation with legal entities.
• Provides leadership staff development and continued education opportunities.
• Maintains reference materials and documentation of policies.
• Provides oversight and supervision of EBPs provided by licensed and unlicensed MATs and SWs.
• Assists Specialty Mental Health Program Manager STP Program Coordinator and other BHS leaders with quality improvement and compliance with accreditation organizations and VA standards (CARF Joint Commission SAMSHA).
• Attends regular staff meetings in the SUD Specialty Clinic and Behavioral Health Service Line.
• Participates as a member of VA committees as directed.
• Attends monthly Evidenced Based care meetings Communities of Practice meetings SUD monthly national trainings standard of practice meetings.
• Provides recommendations to supervisors of any clinical changes to policy and procedure and ability to design system changes based on data.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: AD-HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation Incentives: May be Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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 physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public 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

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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.
• Education: Hold a masters 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 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.

• 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.

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:

Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor GS-12

Experience Education and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.

Assignments: Senior LPMHCs provide treatment to patients with complex needs including multiple mental health diagnoses and numerous psychosocial issues using independent judgment. LPMHCs at this level provide clinical consultation to less experienced staff which may include coordinating crisis situations. Senior LPMHCs will provide clinical supervision to LPMHC staff and/or LPMHC trainees and may serve as the subject matter expert for the discipline. Senior LPMHCs develop behavioral health related training curriculum and often conduct trainings for clinical staff. LPMHCs model ethical and professional behaviors and standards to include multicultural awareness. Senior LPMHCs meet routinely with inter-professional team members and leadership to communicate about program and patient issues for in depth problem solving. Senior LPMHCs collaborate with internal and external stakeholders and frequently serve as a liaison. This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management. This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation.

In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

1. Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment.
2. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual group and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans.
3. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data.
4. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients rendering professional opinions based on experience expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills.
5. Ability to teach mentor staff and trainees and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications.
6. Ability to engage in written and oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies procedures practice guidelines and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession.

Preferred Experience: Experience with Veterans and substance use disorders.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: This work requires light lifting (under 15lbs) use of fingers see computer screen and hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental factors include working closely with others and working alone.