Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor; BHIP

Summary

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) and 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 are ineligible to apply.

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.

• Citizenship – Be a citizen of the United States. Non‑citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency – LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3.j.
• Education – Hold a master’s or doctoral degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, or both, from a CACREP‑accredited program. Related fields include Addiction Counseling, Community Counseling, Gerontology Counseling, Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. Traditional Rehabilitation counseling programs accredited by CACREP do not meet the LPMHC qualification standards.
• Licensure – Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment. VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure up to a maximum of three years for GS‑9; for grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must be licensed.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities – Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow‑up; knowledge of the DSM; basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles; ability to use individual, group, or family counseling interventions; ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team; basic computer skills for documentation and Telehealth;
  
  knowledge of statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations; effective oral and written communication.
• Experience (GS‑11) – At least one year of post‑master’s or post‑doctoral mental health counseling experience (VA or non‑VA) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level. May provide clinical supervision over unlicensed trainees or LPMHCs, subject to state licensing laws.

• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026.
• The first cut‑off date for referral of eligible applications will be July 7, 2026.
• All eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred to the hiring manager no later than July 15, 2026.
• Eligible applications received after July 7, 2026 will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as‑needed basis.
• The principal role of the Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor is to provide psychotherapy services for veterans receiving care in the Behavioral Health Service (BHS) General Mental Health (GMH) – as part of a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Home Team which utilizes elements of recovery.
• Provide a variety of direct psychological treatment services addressing the complex psychosocial issues faced by the Veteran patients served in an outpatient mental health setting, including intake assessment, treatment plan development, and implementation, treatment interventions such as individual, family, couple, or small group therapy, trauma therapy, crisis intervention, case management, education, advocacy, shared decision‑making, and support group development and leadership.
• Provide a variety of assessment, psychotherapeutic, and training services within outpatient GMH.
• Assist Veterans in crisis – in…