Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Social Worker

We're Looking for a skilled Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Social Worker in the Veterans Health Administration based in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

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: Noncitizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education (LPMHC): Hold a masters 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. 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 (LPMHC): Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS0101 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 to licensure requirement only applies to the GS9 grade level. Education (Social Worker): Education. Have a masters degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the masters degree in social work. Licensure (Social Worker): Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters degree level. Exception to licensure requirement only applies to the GS9 grade level. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. sect 7403(f). 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 GS9: Experience Education and Licensure: The GS9 grade level is the entry grade level for LPMHCs with less than one year of experience (postmasters degree) or for LPMHCs at the masters or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice level.ANDDemonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the basic requirements the candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs for the GS9 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor located in VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor GS11:Experience Education and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements candidates must have at least one year of postmasters or post doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or nonVA experience)ANDDemonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS9 grade level the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:1. Ability to make professional evaluations decisions and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation.2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship.3. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation.4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill.5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills including evidenced based practices screening and psychosocial assessment.6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual group or familial counseling interventions demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills.7. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices.8. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho education groups that include life skills family support and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy. Social Worker GS9Experience Education and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.ANDDemonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs for the GS9 Social Worker located in VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39. Social Worker GS11:Experience and Licensure: Appointment to the GS11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of postMSW experience equivalent to the GS9 grade level in the field of health care or other social workrelated settings (VA or nonVA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice levelOREducation: In addition to meeting basic requirements a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.ANDDemonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services.(b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds.(c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan.(d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals.(e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers social work graduate students and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Preferred Experience: Active licensure Experience in chart reviews References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43 and VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS9 to GS11. Physical Requirements: RRTP Staff need to be able to ambulate the ramps within the facility.

What’s on Offer

The role offers excellent opportunities for top performers to further develop their competencies as a social worker and improving the lives of people.