Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Responsibilities Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to: The incumbent must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the outpatient behavioral health setting and/or their families. The incumbent is able to independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. Must independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the diagnosis, psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable. The incumbent must possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide educational classes, and/or therapeutic groups for Veterans and families via in-person and virtual modalities. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness. Must actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well a interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of treatment plan. Must be available to provide consultation to other treatment team members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment. Must possess a working knowledge and experience in use of mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. Must serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. Must maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies. Must possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. treatment goals and interventions. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available, Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 57696-O, 57697-O EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact michael.warner3@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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. 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 & 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: MFTs must be proficient in spoken & written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. Education: Candidates must meet one of the following: Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage & family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE. Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage & family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution. Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, & Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, & unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage & family therapy in a State. Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT approved license. Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C.§ 7401(3). This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. MFTs that are not licensed at the time of appointment must become licensed at the independent level (Journey level) within three years of their appointment as a MFT. Most States require two years of post-graduate MFT experience as a pre-requisite to taking the licensure examination; VHA allows MFTs one additional year to pass the licensure exam. It is VHA policy that a MFT who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be clinically supervised by an AAMFT approved licensed MFT at or above the journey level who is a VA staff member & 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 & meet the criteria). *See additional information for more information regarding Grandfathering Provision. Grade Determinations: Marriage & Family Therapist, GS-9 (Entry Level) Experience, Education & Licensure: The entry level grade is used for non- licensed MFTs or for MFTs (master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice (Journey) level. Unlicensed MFTs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed in paragraph 3b above, & are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs) below. Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to meeting the experience, education and licensure for GS-9 grade level, the candidate must also demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research & family systems theory & therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice & assessment tools. Ability to assess, with supervision, the psychosocial functioning & needs of Veterans & their family members. Knowledge to formulate, implement, & re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences & current events surrounding the origins & maintenance of the presenting issue, & interactional patterns within the client system. Ability to provide counseling &/or psychotherapy services, under supervision, to individuals, groups, couples & families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring & reorganizing of the client system. Basic knowledge & understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, & regulations affecting professional practice of marriage & family therapy. Ability to draft documents, manage data, maintain accurate, timely & thorough clinical documentation, & track quality improvements. Marriage & Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education & Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage & family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) & licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below. OR, In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage & family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, & Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage & family therapy experience in a clinical setting AND, The candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level & they must demonstrate the following KSA. Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to meeting the experience, education and licensure for for GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning & needs of Veterans & their family members. Ability to provide counseling &/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples & families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring & reorganizing the client system. Ability to establish & maintain effective working relationships with Veterans & their families, colleagues, & other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical & legal issues & concerns. Knowledge & understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations & VA policies affecting the practice of marriage & family therapy. This includes the ability to assist Veterans & their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationSt&ards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 9 to 11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospital, warehouses, & similar areas for meetings & to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to & attendance at meetings &/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry & lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. The incumbent must possess a current Driver's License & drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a MFT on the effective date of this qual. standard are considered to have met all qual. requirements for the grade held, including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to & including the full performance (journey) level, demoted, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. MFTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temp. appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temp. or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees who are retained as a MFT under this provision & subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status & must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as a MFT. Receiving Service Credit or 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 & approved prior to the appointment date & 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 & does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, & are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 & submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed & how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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 & the complaint process, visit Human Resources & Administration/Operations, Security, & Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.