Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Veterans Health Administration • Oklahoma City, OK

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System’s Mental Health Service is recruiting a Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor to provide care to Veterans at the Broadway Community Based Outpatient Clinic. The position is a senior, independently practicing counseling role within a multidisciplinary health care system. The counselor provides mental health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling and may be assigned to any VHA area, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate.

The role treats Veterans with complex needs, including multiple mental health diagnoses and psychosocial issues, using independent judgment and a variety of counseling and intervention modalities. The counselor also provides clinical consultation and supervision to less experienced staff, unlicensed counselors, and trainees; may serve as a discipline subject matter expert; and develops and delivers behavioral-health training. The position may include program evaluation or research activities and requires collaboration with interprofessional teams and leadership on patient and program issues.

This is a GS-12 position above the full performance level. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is available on a situational, ad hoc basis under agency policy; the position is not virtual. Flexible or compressed scheduling is not available.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated statutory exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• A master’s or doctoral degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, both fields, 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.
• At least one year of post-master’s or post-doctoral mental health counseling experience.
• At least five years of post-licensed experience demonstrating advanced practice skills, judgment, progressive competency, and expertise.
• Licensure to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.
• Demonstrated GS-11 competencies, including treatment planning, counseling-process expertise, consultation, complex crisis intervention and stabilization, evidence-based practice, assessment and diagnosis, and delivery of individual, group, or family counseling and psychotherapy or psychoeducation groups.
• Demonstrated GS-12 competencies, including advanced expertise in treatment of complex mental illness, differential diagnosis, prioritizing and coordinating specialized services, specialized interventions, system changes based on data, consultation, teaching, mentoring, supervision, and communication with leadership, staff, and community stakeholders.
• Maintain an independent-practice license; failure to obtain required licensure within three years of appointment or loss of licensure may result in removal from the occupation and possibly termination.
• Meet pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation, onboarding, acceptable identification, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements for VA health care personnel.
• Complete the required one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) experience is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose mental disorders and treat Veterans with complex mental health and psychosocial needs using independent judgment.
• Provide individual, family, and group counseling; triage and crisis management; community-based interventions; and advanced psychotherapy as needed.
• Conduct initial intakes and biopsychosocial assessments, and develop treatment plans in accordance with Joint Commission and VA requirements and clinic procedures.
• Practice measurement-based care using the Collect, Share, Act model.
• Consult with VA staff, referring providers, teams, and mental health personnel on patient-care issues.
• Participate in regularly scheduled program and clinic team meetings.
• Evaluate patients and determine appropriate dispositions to VA treatment programs, community programs, or vocational placement; consult on complex vocational issues and place clinically indicated consults.
• Complete documentation promptly in accordance with facility medical bylaws, follow mental health coding guidelines, and place return-to-clinic orders in accordance with VA directives and scheduling guidelines.
• Complete PMDB training as required for the workplace setting and annual Workplace Behavioral Risk Assessment.
• Develop behavioral-health training curricula and conduct training for clinical staff.
• Provide clinical consultation to less experienced staff and clinical supervision to unlicensed LPMHC staff and/or trainees.
• Model ethical and professional standards, including multicultural awareness, and may serve as the discipline subject matter expert.
• May participate in program evaluation or research activities.
• Assist with other activities assigned by Oklahoma City VA Health Care System management.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits eligibility depends on position type.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for prior federal service or military experience, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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