Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (GS-09/11) serves as an Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Coordinator within the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP). Duties include psychosocial assessments, mental health care coordination, treatment planning, crisis intervention, referrals, monitoring high-risk Veterans, and promoting continuity of care. GS-09 counselors work under clinical supervision, while GS-11 counselors practice independently.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy. 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 Addiction Counseling, Community Counseling, Gerontology Counseling, and Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. NOTE: Traditional Rehabilitation Counseling programs accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standard because Traditional Rehabilitation Counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 series must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment. Exception: VHA may waive the licensure requirement at the GS-09 entry level for otherwise qualified applicants completing state prerequisites for licensure. The appointing official may grant a waiver for a period not to exceed three years. Unlicensed LPMHCs must practice under the clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC at or above the full-performance level. Applicants selected at the GS-11 level must possess the required independent practice license. Grandfather Provision: Employees serving as LPMHCs in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard who met the qualification requirements applicable at the time of their appointment may be covered by the grandfathering provisions outlined in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G43. 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. Grade Determinations Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-09 (Entry Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure: The GS-09 level is the entry grade for LPMHCs with less than one year of post-master's degree experience or for master's or doctoral degree graduates who are not yet licensed at the independent practice level. Unlicensed LPMHCs must have completed the required education and be working toward meeting state licensure prerequisites. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, candidates must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs): Ability to conduct intake assessments, identify problems, formulate diagnoses, develop and implement treatment plans, evaluate outcomes, and provide follow-up care. Knowledge of the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for developing treatment goals and applying appropriate clinical interventions. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practices, human development principles, and interventions addressing high-risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development. Ability to provide individual, group, and family counseling interventions. Ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to address the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals and families. Basic skill in computer applications, data management, clinical documentation, and delivery of services, including telehealth. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used by VHA. Knowledge of applicable statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations governing professional counseling practice. Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Assignment: GS-09 LPMHCs perform professional mental health counseling services under close clinical supervision, including co-signatures when required. They are not authorized to practice independently. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, candidates must possess at least one year of post-master's or post-doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA), hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice independently, and demonstrate the required KSAs. In addition to meeting the GS-09 KSAs, candidates must demonstrate the following: Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendations regarding treatment planning and implementation. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the counseling process, including identifying patient and family problems and maintaining effective counseling relationships. Ability to provide professional consultation to colleagues and trainees regarding counseling practices, specialty areas, case progress, and clinical approaches. Ability to independently provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients experiencing psychological distress. Ability to collaboratively establish treatment goals using advanced counseling skills, evidence-based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessments. Ability to provide a wide range of individual, group, and family counseling interventions. Ability to independently utilize the current DSM to formulate diagnoses, establish treatment goals, and implement appropriate clinical interventions. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psychoeducational groups addressing life skills, family support, and community integration, including evidence-based psychotherapy. Assignment: GS-11 LPMHCs function at the full-performance level and independently provide professional mental health counseling services, exercising clinical judgment in assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and coordination of care. Creditable Experience To be creditable, experience must be post-master's degree professional mental health counseling experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current LPMHC practice. Part-time experience is creditable in proportion to the full-time workweek. Qualifying fellowship or post-graduate training may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum experience completed before obtaining the qualifying master's degree may not be substituted for the required professional experience. Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G43, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Qualification Standard, GS-0183. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.