Summary Provides advanced, independent mental health services within the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program, delivering psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, evidence-based psychotherapy, family systems treatment, and crisis intervention. Serves as a consultant to interdisciplinary teams and uses measurement-based care to support Veterans with complex and high-acuity mental health needs. Responsibilities This is an advanced practice level position, requiring the incumbent to be a subject matter expert, with advanced knowledge in the delivery of psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions for severe functional impairments related to specialized mental health conditions include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, Severe Mental Illness (SMI), high-risk patient populations including those with suicidal ideation and acute psychiatric hospitalization, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Treatment Resistant Depression, personality disorders and other mental health conditions. Duties include but are not limited to: Performs comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments, incorporating complex multiple causation and high-risk factors; completes suicide risk assessments and safety plans. Independently provides diagnostic evaluation and develops individualized treatment plans using outcome measures, clinical reminders, and VA documentation standards. Delivers evidence-based, recovery-oriented psychotherapy including individual, couples, family, and group interventions for Veterans with complex mental health conditions (PTSD, SMI, substance use, high-risk presentations). Coordinates screening, assessment, and referral to specialized programs such as PTSD Clinical Team, SUD Clinic, PRRC, and PRRTP. Utilizes measurement-based care to inform treatment planning, track outcomes, and improve program effectiveness. Provides advanced consultation and training to interdisciplinary team members and community providers on family systems issues, assessment, and treatment planning. Documents assessments, treatment, progress notes, and follow-up care independently in electronic medical records; manages consults and complex cases. Contributes to performance improvement processes, policy development, program initiatives, and may serve on local, VISN, or national committees. Provides teaching, mentoring, and supervision for LMFTs, trainees, and interdisciplinary students. Maintains compliance with VA performance measures, facility operational policies, documentation standards, and computerized patient record requirements. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education - Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following: Marriage and Family Therapy from a program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), OR Marriage and Family Therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession. Licensure - Must hold full, current, and unrestricted Marriage and Family Therapy license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a state. Grandfather Provision - An MFT employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (4/18/2018) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting all qualification requirements. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. GS-12 Marriage and Family Therapist (Advanced): Experience Requirements: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-12 you must possess have you successfully completed evidence based training in family therapy and graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program OR have passed the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Board (AMFTRB) examination. Must have at least 5 years of post-licensed clinical experience in delivery of family systems therapy including one-year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. This experience must demonstrate the use of an evidence-based family therapy model while exhibiting progressive professional competency and expertise that demonstrates the following professional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Demonstrated KSAs: Ability to provide specialized consultation for complex cases involving individuals, families and/or couples utilizing evidenced-based family systems theory/therapy. Ability to provide crisis intervention which includes assessment, safety planning and complex treatment planning using independent clinical judgment utilizing family systems theory/therapy. Ability to provide family systems therapy, which seeks to address Veterans and their family members on an individual level and deals with interpersonal interactions. Ability to provide unlicensed MFT staff/trainees with systemic clinical supervision towards licensure from a family systems theory/therapy perspective. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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 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.
