Marriage and Family Therapist - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

Summary As a member of a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program team (BHIP}, the incumbent will conduct 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.} as well as work with the Veteran to establish treatment plans. Responsibilities Incumbent independently conducts assessments, evaluating the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their families to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying needs, strengths and coping skills in collaboration with the patient and family as appropriate. Incumbent will provide triage assessment, crisis intervention, and counseling/psychotherapy (individual, couple, and group) for Veterans using evidence-based practice. Incumbent provides clinical case management services to Veterans. The incumbent coordinates care and assures that Veterans receive needed services to increase functionality, independence, and quality of life. The incumbent sets clinical care goals in collaboration with the patient, monitors progress toward goals, and works to achieve outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations. The incumbent will serve collaboratively on a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program team. Incumbent recognizes complex situations that impact patient care and intervenes, using sound judgment and appropriate resources. Incumbent establishes collaborative relationships with mental health providers particularly, as well as other team members and staff outside the department in order to more effectively coordinate Incumbent assesses caregiver burden and makes plan to sensitively address caregiver burden. Incumbent establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with Veterans and families from diverse backgrounds. Incumbent is able to work while under appropriate supervision with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems utilizing individual, group and family therapy skills. Incumbent sensitively assists Veteran and family in long term planning as disease processes progress. Incumbent has specialized knowledge in mental health needs and disease processes in order to sensitively address needs. Incumbent has knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. Incumbent has knowledge of community and VA resources, and makes appropriate referrals to programs in order to best meet Veteran's need coordinate Veteran's care. Incumbent provides education and consultation to staff, students, patients, and families regarding programs and serves as a point of contact for the community for these programs. Incumbent remains current on VA policies and procedures relevant to program areas. Incumbent works with team to meet goals and performance measures within program, including Non-institutional Care measures. The incumbent effectively utilizes electronic resources required for providing services and completing reports. These include, but are not limited to electronic medical record, Microsoft Word, workload reporting, and program referral procedures. Incumbent documents work appropriately and in a timely manner in the medical record. Incumbent participates in performance improvement activities and tracks and trends issues as part of performance improvement plan. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. The incumbent is required to attend Ambulatory Care Center administrative and professional meetings as directed. Provide supervision to lower graded therapists requiring clinical supervision. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:92787-A/92788-A Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. 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 chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)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). Education. Candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, (2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR, (3) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in 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. 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 marriage and family therapy in a State. Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the 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 the authority of 38 U.S.C.§ 7401(3). This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed. 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). Grade Determinations: Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-9 (Entry Level) Experience, Education and Licensure. The entry level grade is used for non-licensed MFTs or for MFTs (master's or doctoral level) who are graduates not yet licensed at the independent practice (Journey) level. Unlicensed MFTs at the GS-9 grade level have completed the required education listed in paragraph 3b above, and are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) in subparagraph (b) below. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs in subparagraph (b) below. OR, In addition to the basic requirements, 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) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting. AND the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level and they must demonstrate the following KSAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 in a culturally competent manner 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The incumbent may be asked to perform physical tasks requiring standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, climbing stairs, and lifting up to 25 lbs. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.