Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

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. Duties *****Recruitment/Relocation incentive may be offered to highly qualified candidate(s).***** This is an open continuous announcement and will remain open until October 16, 2026, or positions have been filled. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be May 18, 2026, with subsequent cut-off dates. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) is assigned as a member of the Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences Service at the James A. Haley VA Healthcare System. Incumbent provides a full range of evaluation and psychotherapeutic clinical services to Veterans with challenging and complex psychiatric and substance abuse problems, family members and caregivers, including evaluations and screenings, individual and group therapy, evidence-based therapies, psychoeducation, case management, treatment planning, consultation, crisis management, and administrative duties as assigned. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Providing a full range of evaluation services and diagnose mental disorders. Educating patients, family members, and significant others. Conducting evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Consulting with professional staff and community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients with psychological and psychiatric problems. Case managing and supporting Veterans with psychiatric and psychological problems. Developing, implementing, and documenting psychotherapeutic treatment plans. Facilitating liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services for the Veterans. Adhering to operational policies and procedures established by the VA, supervisors and program for the treatment team. Complying with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Complying with all electronic health record documentation procedures and workload entry, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). Work Schedule: Monday

• Friday, 8:00am
• 4:30pm Telework: Ad hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # 70946F (GS-9) & 70947F (GS-11) Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates upon review and approval by management, available funding, and in accordance with agency policy. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.) English Language Proficiency: You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j Education: 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). Examples of related mental health counseling fields include, but are not limited to Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Additional information may be obtained from 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 Licensure: Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment. For assignments at the GS-9 level, VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a LPMHC that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level. 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 Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-9 (Entry Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure. The GS-9 grade level is the entry grade level for LPMHCs with less than one year of experience (post-master's degree) or for LPMHCs (at the master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice level. Unlicensed LPMHCs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed in paragraph 3.b., and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure. Candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post-doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level. While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position: GS-9 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life s