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.
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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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
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 http://www.cacrep.org/directory/. 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. 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/.
How you will be evaluated
Area of Consideration. Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility. 2. All other VA employees. 3. HPTs. Note: Veterans' Preference is not applicable to VA employees. 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.