Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

The basic requirements for employment as a LPMHC are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(11). To qualify for appointment as a LPMHC all applicants must:

• 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 applicable law).
• Education. Hold a master's or doctoral degree in:
  Clinical Mental Health Counseling;
  Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling;
  Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; or a related field, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Examples of related mental health counseling fields include, but are not limited to Addiction Counseling;
  Community Counseling;
  Gerontology Counseling;
  Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Additional information may be obtained from http://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..
  • NOTE: Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs that are accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards as Traditional Rehabilitation counseling differs from Clinical Rehabilitation counseling.
• Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-0183 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment.
• English Language Proficiency. LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d).

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

(a) Experience, Education, and Licensure.

In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. The experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.

LPMHCs manage the daily operations of multiple programs, develop and implement program policies and procedures, or serve as chief or principal counselor to a number of LPHMCs. They are responsible for oversight of administrative and programmatic resources and monitoring of outcomes. They prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national leadership. Decisions may affect staff and other resources associated with the programs managed and are made while exercising wide latitude and independent judgment.

They may be responsible for the program's budget. They may also supervise employees assigned to the program.

In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

Strong supervisory experience

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https:// Standards/.

This position is above full performance level

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019