Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Primary Care Mental Health Integration

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.

Duties

***The job title has been amended to include 'Senior'.*** The Senior LPMHC will demonstrate effectiveness in assessing for problems or concerns unique to patient population status as military veterans while independently, or in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, family members, and significant others, arriving at a reasoned diagnosis of patient problems and needs. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients, including geriatric patients, related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, and age-associated illnesses and conditions. The incumbent must have an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric veteran, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this veteran population. Duties include but not limited to: The PCMHI LPMHC uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competences in the following core domains. PC-MHI Clinical Practice: Conduct functional assessments, based on 30-minute appointments and will triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate. Applies principals of population-based care (defines role and identifies problems rapidly). Majority of all appointments are less than 30 minutes. Uses brief assessments routinely (e.g., PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT C, etc.). Initial consultation appointments are based on functional assessments and treatment focuses on functional outcomes. Maintains daily open access slots. Next available "scheduled" appointment is within two weeks . Provide brief mental health and behavioral interventions (e.g., 1-5 sessions for broad range of concerns). Documentation skills Writes clear concise notes, generally 1⁄2-1 page long, with explicit impression, recommendations and plan for PCP use Notes document curbside consultation results. Notes are completed within 24 hours. Consultation Skills Routinely Consults with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients. Conducts effective curbside consultations. Integrates within primary care team and works closely in collaboration with PACT team - Attends PACT meetings and daily huddles. Routinely provides feedback (verbal and/or written) to PCP and other PACT members same day as referral . Uses warm-hand off strategy. Provides education to PACT on BH issues as well as consultation on tips for successful care management and patient facilitation, even when no direct patient contact. Administration Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as endorsed by supervisors. Participates in LPMHC privileging, educational and peer review activities, in accord with LPMHC and medical center policies. Participates as a non-voting member of the medical staff, in accord with medical staff by-laws. Participates in support OBVAMC and LPMHC administrative and performance improvement activities, e.g., by taking on assigned projects and serving on committees. Completes required clinician and administrative documentation in a timely manner and in accord with governing regulations. Academic/Teaching/Training Supervises psychology practicum students in accord with training program policies and accrediting agency requirements. Provides staff and student didactic training and consultation as requested in content areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise. May supervise or train allied health providers in accord with facility and regulatory standards regarding such training. Research / Program Evaluation May participate in program evaluation and/or research activities. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday - subject to change based upon the needs of the facility. Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 1001-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

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 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. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Senior 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 LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. 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: 1. Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and prov