Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) - Outpatient

Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) - Outpatient

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Fort Wayne, Indiana

Salary Range: $73939 - $96116 Per Year

Job 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.

Major Duties:

• The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) for whom this functional statement applies is assigned as a member of the Mental Health Services (MHS) at VA Northern Indiana Health Care System (VANIHCS). Incumbent provides a full range of evaluation and psychotherapeutic clinical services to Veterans with challenging and complex psychiatric and substance abuse problems, family members and caregivers, including evaluations and screenings, individual and group therapy, evidence-based therapies, psychoeducation, case management, treatment planning, consultation, crisis management, and administrative duties as assigned. The GS-11 level is the full performance level for LPMHCs. Incumbent is licensed to independently practice professional counseling and to provide mental health services within the knowledge, theory, and training foundations of professional counseling. He/she may be assigned to any mental health VHA area, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. LPMHCs may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Clinical Responsibilities (75% of time) Provides a full range of evaluation services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients many of whom have psychiatric and medical problems. Provides evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Provides consultation to professional staff within VANIHCS and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients with psychological and psychiatric problems. Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for Veterans with psychological and psychiatric problems-patients receiving services within the VANIHCS Mental Health Service. Provides case management and support to Veterans with psychiatric and psychological problems. Works collaboratively and cooperatively with an interdisciplinary treatment team to provide services to Veterans with psychiatric and psychological problems. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Administrative Responsibilities (10% of time) Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures and workload entry, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by supervisors and program treatment team, the Mental Health Service Chief (or designee), Assistant Chief of Mental Health (or designee), Psychology Program Manager and facility Director. Assists the Mental Health Program coordinators/directors in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers. Assists the Mental Health Program coordinators/directors and Mental Health Service Chief, Assistant Chief of Mental Health or Psychology Program Manager in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program in Mental Health Service. Academic Teaching and Training/Supervision (5% of time) Provides clinical supervision to assigned Mental Health trainees and peer specialists. Involved in Psychology Training Program and Training Committee. Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assist in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. Research/Program Evaluation (5% of time) Participates in program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance processes. If assigned, participates in research programs, designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches. Assists in preparation of RFP's and grant proposals, as assigned. NOTE: Additional Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties are required and can be provided upon request. Work Schedule: Typically administrative in nature. Schedule will be discussed during the interview process. Telework: Ad Hoc - as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92626-A, GS-11. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j. 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 3 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. 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). Grandfather Provision. All persons employed in VHA in as LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required 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 in an occupation that requires a licensure, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the 4 occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Grade Determinations: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post- doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and demonstrate the KSAs below. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 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. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment and skill. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced- based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions. 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience providing outpatient mental health care Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G43 LPMHC Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, however incumbent should be able to perform prolonged walking and standing necessary to conduct worksite visits, employer tours, etc. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/10/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12822407. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2025-11-10