Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Summary The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for 1 full-time Mental Health Counselor for the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program. This vacancy will be filled with either a Social Worker or a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor. A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidates. This position provides 51% or more direct patient care and is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program. Responsibilities The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. The incumbent provides clinical case management services to the Veteran population enrolled at the Fargo VA Medical Center and served through the Mental Health Interdisciplinary Care Community. Services include provision of high quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and agencies as needed by the client. Expectations in this area will include support for the identification of Veterans at high-risk; case management and care coordination for Veterans with highly complex mental health presentations that include acute and/or chronic suicide risk; answering calls and consults from the Veteran Crisis Line; coordinating care enhancements to include referral and services through the VISN23 Clinical Resource Hub; and, education of providers, Veterans, families, and community agencies/individuals on the risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options. The VA case management services are designed to improve/maintain Veteran's health and mental health, enhancing their ability to remain stable, housed, and community integrated. The clinical case manager takes a proactive and collaborative population health approach to longitudinal mental health care coordination focused on the treatment and management of acute or chronic mental health conditions, to include substance use disorders. Case management includes systems collaboration and the linking of Veterans, families, and caregivers with needed services and resources, including wellness opportunities. Case management may include initiating, and providing oversight and management of, a comprehensive plan for Veterans with complex mental health care needs. Duties include, but are not limited to: Identification - Veterans are identified for the potential need for case management through self-referral, referral from family/caregivers, referral through the Veteran Crisis Line, BHIP, or community partners. Crisis Intervention - As needed, the Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) makes rapid assessments and develops crisis management plans to meet Veteran needs in the least restrictive setting; in the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, LPMHC will follow the protocol of the Medical Center. Screening-LPMHC will screen all referred Veterans for clinical eligibility for case management services using standardized level of care coordination tools in order to ensure consistency of screening and subsequent services. Comprehensive Assessment - The LPMHC will complete an assessment of the Veteran's family, economic, community, and psychosocial support systems when clinically indicated; assessments must reflect a high level of skill in gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and documenting data that is pertinent and directly related to patient health care planning, treatment, education and case management. Veterans, family members, significant others, and the interdisciplinary treatment team are involved in this process, whenever possible; goal of the communication is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veteran's functional status and safely maintain the Veteran in his/her home. Mental Health Diagnosing using DSM-5 and ICD-10 Codes - LPMHC demonstrates knowledge in DSM-5 diagnosing and documents diagnostic impressions in psychosocial assessments when appropriate. LPMHC may function independently or within a team to determine an appropriate diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan based on that diagnosis. Need Identification - Key concerns, needs, and preferences of Veteran and family/caregiver is identified. LPMHC assigns initial level of care coordination, and further stratifies Veterans receiving complex care coordination into 'tiers' or 'levels' per the type of case management interventions and frequency of contacts. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP: Authorized Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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. 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). 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 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0101 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. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. This exception only applies up to the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. English Language Proficiency. LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. 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: 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. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (c) below. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. 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. 3. 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 span. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group . click apply for full job details