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. Responsibilities The BHIP Supervisory LPMHC oversees BHIP mental health services and a multidisciplinary team at Montana VA Healthcare System and CBOCs. Responsibilities include staff supervision, program administration, compliance with VA and accreditation standards, and ensuring high-quality, integrated behavioral health care for Veterans. Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Program Management Responsibilities Oversee and manage BHIP teams to ensure effective and efficient delivery of mental health services. Provide administrative and supervisory leadership for BHIP Team Leads. Promote a cohesive interdisciplinary team environment. Ensure compliance with Mental Health Performance Measures, SAIL, workload, VERA capture, quality assurance, and Veteran satisfaction standards. Interpret trends and patterns to recommend improvements for outpatient mental health services. Review Community Care consults. Facilitate BHIP staff meetings on administrative, staff development, and clinical care issues. Participate in VISN 19 and national VA committees as needed. Monitor and distribute provider workload reports; ensure adherence to workload standards among team leaders. Plan, prioritize, and adjust tasks for team leaders; set and monitor productivity targets and create action plans as needed. Ensure timely patient access in accordance with policies; maintain liaisons with VA programs for coordinated care. Provide clinical supervision to team leaders and members, ensuring adherence to policies, documentation standards, and clinical management of complex cases. Lead hiring and onboarding of new staff, including job announcements, functional statements, and candidate selection. Complete program evaluations and ensure documentation compliance with accrediting bodies (e.g., TJC, CARF). Perform other related administrative duties as assigned. Clinical Responsibilities Diagnose mental disorders; conduct biopsychosocial assessments and screenings; provide evidence-based treatments and adjunctive interventions. Serve as a consultant and resource to other professionals on mental health service development. Resolve interdisciplinary treatment issues of a complex clinical nature. Educate Veterans and families on mental health concerns and interventions. Practice within the recovery model and utilize evidence-based practices (EBPs). Complete documentation accurately and in a timely manner, meeting all Service Line requirements. Adhere to facility clinical care policies, including suicide prevention, timeliness, access standards, and professional conduct. Meet established clinical workload expectations. Practice independently as a licensed member of MTVAHCS Medical Staff, assuming full responsibility for clinical assessments and documentation. Education and Training Provide clinical supervision, consultation, and instruction to interns, trainees, and students. May hold a faculty appointment at a college or university. Other Responsibilities Serve on Service Line and Medical Center committees, workgroups, and task forces. May participate in leadership roles in local, state, or national professional organizations. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: May be available at supervisory discretion. Telework: Ad-hoc telework may be available at supervisory discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 60520-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Rita.Owens@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. 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 identification 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. 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 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. NOTE: It is VHA policy that a LPMHC who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. 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: Supervisory Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12 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-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills, judgment, and competency. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to administratively supervise other providers and conduct meetings. Ability to maintain a professional environment by following organizational policies, guidelines and safety standards. Ability to establish and clearly communicate guidelines and performance expectations for staff.AND AND Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This vacancy is being announced above the full performance level at a GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor, as the position requires sitting, standing, and walking. Some travel is required as the incumbent is required to conduct monthly in person supervision at different sites of care and community outreach which may require traveling long distances. The emotional demands can be stressful in working with high-risk for suicide veteran population and their families. A high level of self-awareness is essential. Work, divided between office and clinical settings, is primarily sedentary. May require prolonged standing, moderate walking, and manual dexterity. Requires carrying light items, such as books, files, or laptop computer. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
