Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Job Title

Licensed Professional Counselor

Duties

The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: This position is located in the Mental Health Service line at the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) within the Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATP). This position may be stationed at any of the VA Portland Health Care System clinics. The SATP Program provides comprehensive outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment to veterans with a primary substance use disorder. The VA Portland Health Care System is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings. PVAMC is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Portland, Oregon, outpatient and residential facilities in Vancouver, Washington, and six Community Based Outpatient Clinics. VAPORHCS is an academic medical facility with significant teaching and research programs. The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) will provide mental health services to the Veteran population enrolled at the Portland VA Medical Center. Services include provision of high-quality case management, psychosocial assessment, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies as needed by the Veteran. This is accomplished in collaboration with other members of the Mental Health Division or other interdisciplinary treatment teams as appropriate.

The incumbent must possess at a minimum master degree as a professional counseling or other related field from a CACREP accredited program with at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Experience must have been in a major specialty treatment program area. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.

Screening/Assessment - The Licensed Professional Counselor will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. 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 biopsychosocial assessment will include clinical interview, administration of psychiatric test instruments, and/or collateral information. Based on the biopsychosocial assessment, the mental health Licensed Professional Counselor uses professional judgment and beginning practice skills to diagnose using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Licensed Professional Counselor provides goal planning, evaluation, and intervention with serious and complicated, highly diverse cases involving psychiatric illness. He/she demonstrates an understanding of current techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, psychiatric conditions, environmental needs and age associated illnesses and conditions.

Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The Licensed Professional Counselor develops and/or contributes to the development of the mental health treatment plan and the setting of achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. The Licensed Professional Counselor provides consultation and makes recommendations to the interdisciplinary team on course of treatment.

Documentation/ Productivity - The Licensed Professional Counselor will complete documentation in compliance with appropriate documentation standards. The Licensed Professional Counselor consistently maintains an acceptable level of productivity per guidelines which may include special assignments.

Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment the Licensed Professional Counselor is the specialist on VA and/or community resources. The Licensed Professional Counselor will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs. The Licensed Professional Counselor is responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them with appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker related to mental health issues. Resource Usage/Development - The Licensed Professional Counselor is responsible for using current social work resources and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. The Licensed Professional Counselor will refer the Veteran to needed services.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00am-4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized