Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager) - Vet Center Director

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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Duties

Readjustment Counseling Service is a unique service within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that provides readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active military Service members whose service was in support of combat operations, who suffered a military sexual trauma, provided direct emergent medical care or mortuary services to casualties of war, or who served as a member of an unmanned aerial crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat zone or are of hostility, and their families. Readjustment counseling consists of direct counseling services, community outreach (face-to-face connection), and referral services to community providers, VA and non-VA.

Serves as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Program Manager, RCS Vet Center Director (VCD) and is responsible for the professional and administrative supervision and oversight of all readjustment counseling, outreach, referrals and follow-up care coordination services provided to eligible individuals within the designated Vet Center Service Area (VSA). The VSA is a geographic area that includes multiple communities in different jurisdictions of eligible individuals. The VCD supervises both professional and nonprofessional staff including a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals of various performance levels who work in multiple locations (Vet Centers, Vet Center Outstations and Community Access Points) and in communities distant from the Vet Center through planned outreach, often in conjunction with a Mobile Vet Center. Additional responsibilities/duties include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for administrative and outreach staff service functions ensuring that the needs of individuals in their VSA are met.
• Oversees the fiscal, contractual, and operational obligations of the community-based Vet Center. This includes government vehicles and routing and emergent Mobile Vet Center deployment.
• Responsible for the Vet Center's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points, developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds.
• Analyses organizational and operational problems, develops and implements solutions that result in efficient operations and uses data to manage workload, quality, performance and productivity.
• Leads the coordination and briefing during meetings with Congressional representatives and their staff.
• Oversees services delivered by the Vet Center to include ensuring that outreach and counseling services are delivered in a manner consistent with RCS policy and that staff deliver services within the scope of their training and experience.
• Takes the lead in planning, establishing, and implementing Vet Center policies and procedures, developing staff goals and objectives, and monitoring, coordinating and evaluating the work of all Vet Center staff.
• Assures that all staff whom they supervise are aware of, and adhere to, all current VHA directives, state licensure standards, and VA-OIG expectations.
• Conducts ongoing intensive reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies.
• Provides direct readjustment counseling services within and outside of the Vet Center to include in-person and virtual services based on client preference, with the parameters of all VHA directives, state licensure standards, and VA-OIG expectations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm; Monday - Friday, standard operational hours with occasional evenings and weekends based on operational need of the facility

Telework: Not available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 50586A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

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  United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy.
• Education: Must hold a master's or doctoral degree in: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; or a related field, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Additional information may be obtained from http://www.cacrep.org/directory/. Examples of related mental health counseling fields include but are not limited to: Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. **
  
  NOTE: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs that are accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation counseling.
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  Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment.
  
  

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determination:

GS-13 Grade Determination:

Experience, Education and

Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. The experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.

:AND:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-12 grade, candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to make judgments and decisions associated with program management.
• Ability to monitor program outcomes using data driven quality assurance process.
• Ability to develop productivity standards appropriate to each service provided.
• Ability to manage a wide range of programs which include the operation and management of key clinical, training or administrative programs.
  
  

Preferred Experience:

• Knowledge and understanding of the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Knowledge of methods, principles, and theories sufficient to intervene and stabilize combat Veterans suffering from multiple diagnoses.
• Ability to conduct psycho-social assessments and implement treatment plans for combat Veterans and their families.
• Ability to establish and maintain referral networks through community outreach to provide services to Veterans.
• Experience in working with Veterans, especially combat Veterans.
• Experience in working with Veterans who were sexually traumatized/harassed while in the military.
• Experience in providing family counseling services to Veterans and their family.
• Experience working with combat Veterans and their families who have PTSD or readjustment issues and the ability to make independent judgments and recommendations about a number of serious and complex cases.
• Special knowledge and skill in the field of Veterans in community resource identification and development, in public speaking and basic principles of education, in staff recruitment and development, and in program design and management.
• Knowledge of VA and community resources available to Veterans and their family.
• Developing and managing a clinic's budget and program funds.
• Working knowledge of electronic records.
• Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates and sets guidelines for clinical, therapeutic and treatment priorities.
• Incumbent must have possession of supervisory and management skills.
  
  

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.



The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.



Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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