Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Veterans Health Administration • Augusta, GA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a nonsupervisory, advanced-practice clinician position in the Mental Health Service at the VA Augusta Health Care System in Augusta, Georgia. The Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor provides comprehensive mental health services to Veterans and reports to Mental Health leadership. The position requires advanced clinical expertise in assessing and treating complex mental illness, coordinating specialized psychosocial services, and contributing to clinical systems and programs. The counselor also consults with colleagues and trainees, teaches and mentors staff, provides supervision for licensure or specialty certifications, and communicates with leadership, staff, and community stakeholders about professional practice matters. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 0800–1630, including some weekends; the schedule may vary based on department needs. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• 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.
• Full, current, and unrestricted licensure to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment.
• At least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Five years of post-licensed experience demonstrating advanced practice skills and judgment, progressive professional competency, and expertise.
• Licensure to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of theories and modalities for specialized treatment of complex mental illness, including differential diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Demonstrated advanced and expert skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate psychosocial services and programs and design data-based system changes.
• Demonstrated ability to provide consultation to colleagues and trainees and model effective clinical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to teach and mentor staff and trainees and provide professional supervision.
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills for engaging leadership, staff, and community stakeholders.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Complete required background/security investigation, onboarding, pre-employment physical examination, and application requirements.
• Comply with the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of clinical-setting experience providing psychotherapy is preferred.
• Experience working in substance use, interdisciplinary teams, brief evidence-based interventions, and brief or focused assessments is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized assessment and treatment for Veterans with complex mental illness, including differential diagnosis and psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Determine service priorities and provide specialized treatment.
• Deliver individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy, along with advanced psychosocial and case-management interventions for Veterans with complex needs.
• Coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs.
• Design system changes based on data.
• Provide subject-matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on psychosocial treatment, offering professional opinions and modeling effective clinical skills.
• Teach and mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Communicate in writing and orally with leadership, staff, and community stakeholders about policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and professional practice issues.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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