Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program)

Veterans Health Administration • Corpus Christi, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) serves on the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP), a multidisciplinary team providing comprehensive, accessible, Veteran-centered mental health care. The counselor coordinates and provides specialty mental health counseling to eligible Veterans, including assessment, treatment planning, and treatment. Services may include crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach, and empirically based treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. The counselor may refer clients to other programs and professionals and provide consultation to team members, including conjoint emergency treatment with medical facility mental health personnel.

The role provides psycho-diagnostic services requiring advanced skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities. Services may include individual, group, and family psychotherapy, as well as psychosocial and case-management interventions for Veterans with a range of DSM diagnoses, substance use conditions, and poly-traumatic injuries. Depending on assignment, the counselor may also manage clinical programs and resources, coordinate programming and staff, represent Psychology Service on committees or work groups, consult with colleagues and students, teach and mentor, develop innovative assessment or intervention models, and assist in drafting policies, procedures, and practice guidelines.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Ad hoc telework may be offered; this is not a virtual position. The full performance level is GS-11, with selection possible at GS-09 through GS-11. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated limited exception for non-citizens under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Master's or doctoral degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, a combined field, or a related field from a CACREP-accredited program.
• Full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment. GS-09 applicants pending licensure may be selected and given up to three years to complete the requirement.
• For GS-11: at least one year of post-master's or post-doctoral mental health counseling experience.
• Ability to conduct intake and assessment, identify problems, diagnose, plan and implement treatment, coordinate continuity of care, and evaluate and follow up.
• Knowledge of the current DSM and its use in treatment goals and clinical interventions.
• Knowledge of professional counseling practice, human development, and interventions addressing high-risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the lifespan.
• Ability to use individual, group, or family counseling interventions and serve effectively on an interdisciplinary team.
• Basic skill with computer applications for drafting documents, data management, clinical documentation, and service delivery such as Telehealth; ability to learn and use VHA software.
• Knowledge of statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations relevant to counseling practice.
• Effective oral and written communication with people from varied backgrounds.
• For GS-11: ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and treatment recommendations; provide consultation to colleagues and trainees; and deliver complex crisis intervention and stabilization using independent judgment.
• For GS-11: ability to establish collaborative treatment goals using advanced counseling skills, evidence-based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment; use the DSM to diagnose and formulate treatment goals; and develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psychoeducation groups.
• Meet applicable background and security investigation requirements, onboarding and identification requirements, seasonal influenza vaccination requirements, and the stated trial-period condition of employment.
• Submit all application requirements detailed in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• VA or Department of Defense experience.
• Community-based work experience.
• Experience incorporating outcome measures into treatment.
• Experience with evidence-based psychotherapies.
• Experience treating individuals, groups, couples, and families.
• Experience with complex case management and outpatient general mental health clinics.

Responsibilities

• Conduct assessment interviews and identify problems and diagnoses.
• Develop treatment plans and provide treatment to eligible Veterans.
• Provide crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach services, and empirically based treatment for mental health conditions.
• Refer clients to other programs and professionals when appropriate.
• Participate in and provide consultation to other team members, including conjoint emergency treatment with facility mental health personnel.
• Provide psycho-diagnostic services and specialized individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy and psychosocial or case-management interventions.
• Potentially operate and manage specialized or complex psychology and mental health programs and oversee their administrative and programmatic resources.
• Coordinate mental health programming with other program managers and discipline supervisors.
• Potentially manage clinical program staff and assignments to ensure work meets facility and VA guidelines and standards.
• Represent Psychology Service on administrative committees or work groups as assigned.
• Provide subject-matter consultation to colleagues and students and potentially teach and mentor staff and students.
• Develop innovative models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to address specialized clinical needs.
• Assist with drafting policies, procedures, and practice guidelines for specialty populations or programs.
• Engage in treatment planning and implementation, continuity of care, evaluation, and follow-up.
• Develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psychoeducation groups, potentially including life skills, family support, and community integration.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to eligible employees and their families.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for qualifying prior federal or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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