Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (PCMHI) - EDRP Approved

Veterans Health Administration • McAllen, TX

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) serves on the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) multidisciplinary team, providing comprehensive, accessible, Veteran-centered mental health care. The counselor coordinates and delivers specialty mental health counseling to eligible Veterans, including assessment interviews, treatment planning, and treatment. Services may include crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach, and evidence-based treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. The counselor may refer clients to other programs and professionals and consult with team members, including participating in conjoint emergency treatment with mental health personnel.

The position provides psycho-diagnostic services and specialized interventions, including individual, group, and family psychotherapy and psychosocial or case-management interventions for Veterans with a range of DSM diagnoses, substance-use conditions, and poly-traumatic injuries. Depending on assignment, the counselor may manage clinical programs, oversee administrative and programmatic resources, coordinate programming with mental health managers and discipline supervisors, and help ensure work assignments meet facility and VA standards. The counselor may 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, or practice guidelines.

The position is in the Excepted Service and is not virtual. Ad-hoc telework is available. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and program approval; the award may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years. The actual grade may be GS-9 through GS-11, with GS-11 identified as the full-performance level.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Master's or doctoral degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, both, or a related field from a CACREP-accredited program.
• A full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment. Applicants pending licensure may be selected at GS-9 and given up to three years to complete licensure requirements.
• 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, manage continuity of care, and conduct evaluation and follow-up.
• Knowledge of the current DSM and its use in treatment goals and clinical interventions.
• Knowledge of counseling practice, human development, and interventions addressing high-risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the lifespan.
• Ability to use a range of individual, group, or family counseling interventions and to serve on an interdisciplinary team.
• Computer skills 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 affecting counseling practice.
• Effective oral and written communication with people from varied backgrounds.
• For GS-11, ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and treatment recommendations; advanced counseling skills; and ability to maintain an effective counseling relationship.
• For GS-11, ability to provide subject-matter consultation to colleagues and trainees, complex crisis intervention and stabilization, collaborative treatment planning using advanced counseling skills and evidence-based practices, and psychotherapy or psychoeducation groups.
• Must meet applicable federal employment conditions, including background/security investigation, onboarding, required identification, seasonal influenza vaccination, application-document requirements, and a one- or two-year trial period.
• Education must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education used for qualification requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with transcripts.

Nice To Haves

• Licensed within the discipline.
• Experience providing individual and group psychotherapy for a wide array of diagnoses.
• Experience as a therapist in the VA.
• Experience in PCMHI and/or a primary care setting.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and provide specialty mental health counseling to eligible Veterans in the PCMHI team.
• Conduct assessment interviews; identify problems and diagnoses; develop treatment plans; and provide treatment, evaluation, and follow-up.
• Provide crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach, and empirically based treatment for mental health conditions.
• Provide individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy and psychosocial or case-management interventions for Veterans with a range of diagnoses, substance-use conditions, and poly-traumatic injuries.
• Refer clients to other programs and professionals as appropriate.
• Consult with other team members and participate in conjoint emergency treatment with mental health personnel.
• As assigned, manage clinical programs and oversee their administrative and programmatic resources.
• Coordinate mental health programming with program managers and discipline supervisors, and assist with systematic work assignment consistent with facility and VA standards.
• Represent Psychology Service on committees or work groups as assigned.
• Provide subject-matter consultation to colleagues and students; teach and mentor staff and students when opportunities arise.
• Expand clinical knowledge and develop innovative psychosocial assessment or intervention models for specialized clinical needs.
• Assist in drafting policies, procedures, and practice guidelines for specialty populations or treatment programs as assigned.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program: potential student-loan repayment award up to $200,000, subject to eligibility and program approval.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for prior work or military service, if requested and approved before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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