This is above the full performance level for a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor licensed at the master's level to practice independently in the provision of counseling services consulting with peers and supervisors, as appropriate. The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) Program Manager is in the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP), which provides residential treatment to Veterans with a variety of mental health and substance use disorders. The responsibilities are complex in scope and include overall management of all administrative and clinical operations within maintenance and continued development of the MH RRTP programs.

Duties:

• Coordinate and provide direct supervision for the MH RRTP staff.
• Initiate appropriate disciplinary actions as indicated.
• Manage/coordinate the leave schedule for MH RRTP employees.
• Identify training needs as appropriate and arrange for necessary trainings for employees.
• Coordinate and assist with walk-in, same day screening, and crisis intervention.
• Coordinate the efforts of the MH RRTP teams and the accomplishment of routine Team goals.
• Review Bed Management System (BMS) reports frequently as needed to monitor access and census.
• Assign and monitor MHTCs and MHTC responsibilities as appropriate.
• Responsible for appropriately addressing patient complaints.
• Create and update appropriate policies and Standard Operating Procedures pertaining to the MH RRTP.
• Coordinate programming to ensure compliance with minimal hours of programming across MH RRTP.
• Prepare the MH RRTP operations for appropriate surveys, inspections, and audits.
• Provides a full range of mental health counseling services to typical and atypical cases in areas of patient treatment assignment, consistent with approved clinical privileges and type of hospital appointment, with evidence of acceptable work quality by satisfactory supervisory peer case review ratings.
• Complies with the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and maintains professional knowledge and skills by receiving continuing education that satisfies state licensing requirements. Complies with national and local performance measures including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients.
• May serve on Medical Center, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces specifically relating to diagnosis, assessment, and/or treatment issues associated with the Mental Health Service.
• Represents the Medical Center, VISN 10, or VACO at professional programs and/or events, or on VA or community committees or work groups addressing Mental Health Clinic, or other areas of psychological practice, including where relevant to addressing issues of culturally competent services.
• Actively participates in leadership roles on local, state and/or national professional organizations specific to MHS.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Functional Statement #: 92254-0
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

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.
• You may be required to serve a trial period.
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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).

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.
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 VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.).
• 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://www.cacrep.org/directory/. 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.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• 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

Grandfather Provision. All persons employed in VHA in as LPMHC on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
(3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
(5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations:
Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12

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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:
1. Ability to make judgments and decisions associated with program management.
2. Ability to monitor program outcomes using data driven quality assurance process.
3. Ability to develop productivity standards appropriate to each service provided.
4. Ability to manage a wide range of programs which include the operation and management of key clinical, training or administrative programs.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .

Physical Requirements: Work is mostly sedentary; however, there will be some periods of walking. Work is primarily performed in an office setting located at the Dayton VA Medical Center. The duties of supervising and provision of mental health services may be achieved from this primary location. Work requires reaching, lifting, turning, or moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to operate hand and foot controls. Must follow prescribed safety procedures using appropriate lifting methods and body mechanics for heavy lifting or moving of heavy objects. For the clinical portion of the work, the incumbent will be required to assist patients with a variety of medical/psychiatric conditions and/or disabilities. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Some of the duties may be conducted via telehealth technologies but whenever necessary, the incumbent may be required to be physically present. Thus, occasional Travel may be required. A current, valid driver's license is required and may require driving a government vehicle.