Summary
The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) serves as a member of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP). The BHIP is a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals which provides comprehensive, accessible, Veteran-centered mental health care. The LPMHC assigned to BHIP is responsible for coordinating and providing specialty mental health counseling.
Duties
The LPMHC conducts assessment interviews, develops treatment plans and provides treatment to eligible Veterans. Treatment modalities may include crisis intervention, intake evaluations, outreach services as well as empirically based treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. The LPMHC may refer clients to other programs and professionals as appropriate. The LPMHC also participates in and provides consultation to other team members; participates in conjoint emergency treatment with medical facility mental health personnel. The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC): provides psycho-diagnostic services which requires advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with a range of DSM diagnoses, substance abuse/dependence, and poly-traumatic injuries. may have clinical program management responsibilities, which include the operation and management of various psychology or mental health programs within the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VATVCBHCS). may have responsibility for and oversight of the administrative and programmatic resources of various clinical programs that are specialized/complex and significantly impact the delivery of health care service to Veterans in the VATVCBHCS. may coordinate programming within the various mental health programs with managers of other programs in mental health as well as with discipline supervisors of affected staff assigned to these programs. may manage the work of various clinical programs and their staff, ensuring that work is assigned in a systematic way and meets facility and VA guidelines/standards. may serve as the representative for Psychology Service on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups as assigned. provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective practice skills. In addition, there may be opportunities to teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area of practice. expands clinical knowledge in the profession, demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs. assists in drafting policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Ad/Hoc telework may be offered. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS-9: 53954F, GS-11: 53955F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
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/. Education - Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following: 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 http://www.cacrep.org/directory/. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited by CACREP at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CACREP website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.