Marriage and Family Therapist (BHIP) - EDRP Approved

Qualifications Health Profession Trainees (HPT's) 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. All applicants pending licensure as a MFT may be appointed at the GS-9 level while completing pre-license requirements. 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 In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English Education - Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following: Marriage and Family Therapy from a program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), OR Marriage and Family Therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR A comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession Licensure - Must hold full, current, and unrestricted Marriage and Family Therapy license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a state or pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure GS-9 Only: VA may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed MFT who is at or above the full performance level Failure to become licensed within three years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0182 MFT series and may result in termination of employment 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 - An MFT employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (4/18/2018) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting all qualification requirements Grade Determinations: GS-09 MFT (Entry Level) Requirements: Along with meeting the basic education requirements for this position you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice and assessment tools Ability to assess, with supervision, the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members Knowledge to formulate, implement, and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services, under supervision, to individuals, groups, couples and families in a manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy Ability to draft documents, manage data, maintain accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and track quality improvements GS-11 MFT (Full Performance Level) Requirements: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11 you must have at least one year of post-master's degree experience in the field marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) OR a doctoral degree in marriage and 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, and Psychiatry) which may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting that demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members Ability to provide counseling and, or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements Preferred Experience: VA or DOD experience Work experience in community settings Experience incorporating outcome measurement based care into treatment Experience with evidence-based psychotherapies for individuals, groups, couples, and families Experience in case management in complex settings Experience in outpatient general mental health clinics Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11 The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11 Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination. ]]>