Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager)

Veterans Health Administration • Augusta, GA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) serves as the Program Manager for the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) section within the Mental Health Service (MHS) at the VA Augusta Health Care System. The incumbent provides advanced program management, clinical leadership, and strategic oversight for PCMHI, ensuring the delivery of timely, evidence-based, integrated mental health services to Veterans served in Primary Care (PACT). The position requires independent decision-making, expert clinical judgment, and the ability to implement both short- and long-term program goals aligned with facility, VISN, and national Mental Health priorities.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• 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 forms of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.
• 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).
• Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment.
• 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.
• Ability to make judgments and decisions associated with program management.
• Ability to monitor program outcomes using data driven quality assurance process.
• Ability to develop productivity standards appropriate to each service provided.
• Ability to manage a wide range of programs which include the operation and management of key clinical, training or administrative programs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in violence risk assessment and workplace violence prevention is preferred.
• Experience in program coordination preferred.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing daily operations, ensuring all Office of Mental Health and facility performance metrics, access expectations, and national PCMHI directives are met.
• Conducting needs assessments, identifying gaps in service delivery, and initiating program improvements.
• Developing, updating, and implementing PCMHI policies, procedures, workflows, and clinical pathways.
• Allocating and monitoring resources to ensure optimal staffing, productivity, and workload balance.
• Facilitating collaboration between PCMHI, PACT, Outpatient Mental Health, and other interdisciplinary stakeholders.
• Participating in organizational strategic planning, providing expert guidance on PCMH integration, Suicide Prevention initiatives, Whole Health alignment, and mental health access expansion.
• Monitoring quality outcomes through data-driven evaluation and ensuring timely completion of reports, audits, NEPEC submissions, and other required documentation.
• Serving as the PCMHI liaison to Primary Care leaders, attending interdisciplinary leadership meetings, contributing to PACT strategic planning, and resolving operational challenges collaboratively.
• Participating in required facility committees including, but no limited to, Mental Health ICC and Primary Care ICC.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager