Qualifications

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 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
• 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
• English Language Proficiency
• LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and writtenEnglish 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: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager), GS-13 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: In depth knowledge of the program coordinated, and demonstrated knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and or practice guidelines for the program
• Ability to make key decisions in the hiring and identification of top candidates
• Ability to provide leadership in facilitating the process of coordinating program consults, assessments, admissions, care assignments and discharges
• Ability to provide subject matter consultation to other colleagues and traineeswithin the field of counseling working on an interdisciplinary team
• 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
• 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: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.