Marriage and Family Therapist - Behavioral Health

Overview Summary Provides mental health services Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team. As a member of a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program team (BHIP) - psychosocial assessments - provide crisis intervention - clinical case management - and evidence-based (individual - group - couple) psychotherapy (e.g. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) - Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) - etc.). Summary Provides mental health services Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team. As a member of a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program team (BHIP) - psychosocial assessments - provide crisis intervention - clinical case management - and evidence-based (individual - group - couple) psychotherapy (e.g. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) - Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) - etc.). Qualifications 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. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy Education: Candidates must meet one of the following: Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a COAMFTE-approved program; or Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a marriage and family therapy program from a regionally accredited institution; or Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in a comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Social Work - Psychiatric Nursing - Psychology - Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice in a State Exception: The Secretary or designee may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for up to three years from the date of employment under supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT-approved license Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) This exception applies at the entry grade level (GS-9); for grades at or above full performance level, the candidate must be licensed May qualify based on Grandfathering Provision described in the VA Qualification Standard (only applicable to current VHA employees in this occupation who meet criteria) Marriage and Family Therapist - GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience - Education and Licensure In addition to basic requirements, GS-11 requires a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA) and licensure in a State at independent practice level In addition, the candidate must demonstrate KSAs below OR a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable mental health degree may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience, with licensure to practice at the independent level Demonstrated KSAs: independent assessment of Veterans and family psychosocial functioning; ability to provide counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, groups, couples, and families in a culturally competent manner; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans, families, colleagues, and other professionals; knowledge of relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations, and VA policies; ability to assist Veterans in making informed treatment decisions including limits of confidentiality; ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs and supervise pre-licensure MFTs; skilled use of computer software for drafting, data management, documentation, and quality improvement Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11 Duties Independently conducts assessments evaluating the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their families to formulate and implement a treatment plan in collaboration with the patient and family as appropriate Provides triage assessment, crisis intervention, and counseling/psychotherapy (individual, couple, and group) for Veterans using evidence-based practice Provides clinical case management services to Veterans Coordinates care to ensure Veterans receive needed services to increase functionality, independence, and quality of life Sets clinical care goals in collaboration with the patient, monitors progress toward goals, and works to achieve outcomes including reduced hospitalizations Serves collaboratively on a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program team Recognizes complex situations that impact patient care and intervenes using sound judgment and appropriate resources Attends team meetings and coordinates care with patients, providers, and other team members Establishes collaborative relationships with mental health providers and staff outside the department to coordinate care Assesses caregiver burden and develops plans to address it Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with Veterans and families from diverse backgrounds Works under appropriate supervision with patients and families experiencing various psychiatric, medical, and social problems using individual, group, and family therapy skills Assists Veterans and families in long-term planning as disease processes progress Demonstrates knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, medications, and terminology; addresses acute, chronic, and traumatic conditions Provides education and consultation to staff, students, patients, and families; serves as a point of contact for community programs Maintains current knowledge of VA policies and procedures relevant to program areas Collaborates with team to meet goals and performance measures within the program, including Noninstitutional Care measures Utilizes electronic resources (EMR, Word, workload reporting, program referrals) and documents work timely in the medical record Participates in performance improvement activities and tracks issues as part of the quality program Maintains basic knowledge of professional marriage and family therapy practice with emphasis on interventions across the life span Communicates effectively with people from varied backgrounds Attends Ambulatory Care Center administrative and professional meetings as directed Provides supervision to lower-graded therapists requiring clinical supervision Work Details Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Authorized Telework Eligible: Ad-hoc (Per Agency/Service needs) Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 92788 - Marriage and Family Therapist - Behavioral Health/CBSR-12994349-26-ARK Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required #J-18808-Ljbffr US Department of Veterans Affairs