Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Veterans Health Administration • Hickory, NC

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) is a member of the Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) Mental Health Team. The counselor provides evaluation and psychotherapeutic clinical services to Veterans with complex psychiatric and substance-use problems, as well as to family members and caregivers. Services include evaluations and screenings, individual and group therapy, evidence-based interventions, case management, crisis management, and assigned administrative duties.

The position is at the full-performance GS-11 level. The LPMHC independently practices professional counseling and provides mental health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling. The counselor may consult with peers and supervisors, contribute to program evaluation or research, and provide clinical supervision where permitted by applicable state licensing requirements.

The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• Master's or doctoral degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, a combined Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling program, or a related field from a CACREP-accredited program, subject to applicable qualification provisions.
• Full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment.
• At least one year of post-master's or post-doctoral mental health counseling experience.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and treatment-planning and implementation recommendations.
• Advanced knowledge of the counseling process, including defining patient and family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship.
• Ability to provide consultation to colleagues and trainees on counseling processes and specialty areas.
• Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization using independent judgment and skill.
• Ability to establish treatment goals collaboratively with patients using advanced counseling skills, evidence-based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment.
• Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, and family counseling interventions.
• Ability to use the current DSM to make diagnoses, formulate treatment goals, and apply appropriate clinical interventions.
• Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psychoeducation groups.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy.
• Must meet applicable background and security investigation requirements and complete the required onboarding and application documentation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Traditional Rehabilitation Counseling programs do not satisfy the stated education requirement for this position.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate patients and diagnose mental disorders, including complex or unusually difficult cases involving psychiatric and medical problems.
• Educate patients, family members, and significant others.
• Provide evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy.
• Develop, implement, and document psychotherapeutic treatment plans for Veterans receiving CBOC Mental Health Service care.
• Provide case management and support to Veterans with psychiatric and psychological problems.
• Work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary treatment team to provide services to Veterans.
• Provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients in psychological distress.
• Establish treatment goals collaboratively with patients using screening, psychosocial assessment, and evidence-based practices.
• Use individual, group, and family counseling interventions and apply the current DSM to diagnosis, treatment goals, and clinical interventions.
• Develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psychoeducation groups, potentially covering life skills, family support, and community integration.
• Provide subject-matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on counseling processes within specialty areas.
• May participate in program evaluation or research activities.
• May provide clinical supervision to an unlicensed LPMHC or LPMHC trainee when permitted by state licensing requirements.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available to the employee and family, subject to position and eligibility rules.
• Selected applicants may request consideration of prior federal or military service for annual leave accrual credit; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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