Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Job Title

Independently provides specialized counseling services for Veterans with substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health diagnoses, and complex psychosocial needs.

Delivers recovery-focused interventions aimed at increasing motivation, enhancing coping skills, reducing use, preventing relapse, and supporting long-term recovery.

Uses advanced clinical judgment to assess withdrawal risk, overdose risk, trauma exposure, psychosocial instability, legal issues, and other factors that impact recovery.

Conducts detailed biopsychosocial assessments including substance use history, treatment experiences, strengths, barriers, and readiness for change.

Provides diagnostic impressions within Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor professional scope, integrating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder considerations.

Evaluates complex multiple causation (psychological, social, medical, environmental) to determine individualized treatment needs.

Develops individualized treatment plans encompassing relapse-prevention strategies, recovery goals, risk-mitigation plans, counseling modalities, and interdisciplinary coordination.

Determines appropriate use of VA and community resources, including detoxification services, residential substance use disorder programs, psychosocial rehabilitation, medication-assisted treatment support, peer services, and sober-living environments.

Provides consultation and recommendations to interdisciplinary team members, community partners, and other clinical providers regarding assessment findings and care strategies.

Provides individual, group, and family counseling using evidence-based modalities for substance use disorder (motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance use disorder, harm-reduction approaches, contingency management where appropriate, relapse-prevention curricula).

Facilitates structured substance use disorder groups, psychoeducation classes, early recovery skills groups, and therapeutic workshops.

Encourages Veterans and families to explore concerns, evaluate consequences of substance use, consider alternatives, and develop plans for recovery.

Coordinates referrals to community or VA resources such as halfway houses, shelters, residential treatment facilities, and vocational/educational programs.

Participates in substance use recovery program development, evaluation of treatment effectiveness, creation of clinical guidelines, and improvement of service delivery.

Uses outcome measures, practice-based evidence, peer review, and case-conference participation to evaluate and improve clinical practice.

Adjusts treatment plans based on ongoing assessment, clinical response, and changing Veteran needs.

Educates Veterans and family/significant others on substance use, mental health conditions, relapse prevention strategies, coping skills, and recovery planning.

Provides orientation and training to new Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers, and interdisciplinary team members.

Serves as a mentor to less-experienced counselors and provides clinical support to trainees, interns, and students.

Educates interdisciplinary staff on psychosocial dynamics, substance use disorder impact, recovery principles, and counseling approaches.

Independently documents assessments, diagnostics, treatment plans, process notes, safety plans, case consultations, referrals, and follow-up care in electronic and paper formats according to VA and clinic standards.

Ensures documentation reflects expert diagnosis, ethical counseling practices, and clear justification for treatment decisions.

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm; subject to change based upon agency needs