Summary

The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for 1 full-time Mental Health Professional for the Recovery Services Program. This position will be filled by a Supervisory Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager), or a Psychology Program Manager.

Duties

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The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

The incumbent serves as the Mental Health Recovery Services Program Manager, within the Mental Health Integrated Clinical Community (MH ICC), which provides a state-of-the-art continuum of clinical services and education to veterans with complex needs in a large, highly rural catchment area.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Administrative Responsibilities (75% of time)

• The incumbent is the subject matter expert (SME) and independently prepares data and statistical reports, operational plans, inspections and strategic plans to facility, VISN and national leadership. The individual is responsible for quality and performance improvement initiatives for assigned mental health programs within the Mental Health ICC and/or the facility, VISN, or national program. Independent judgement is utilized to adjust staffing levels, productivity, and work procedures within the organizational unit(s) to accommodate resource allocation decisions made at higher echelons.
• The incumbent supervises a group of employees from multiple professions, performing work at multiple GS grade levels (GS-5 - GS-13) and provides administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the programs providing all orientation and program training to new staff and generally throughout the facility as needed. The individual exercises supervisory authorities and responsibilities involving work assignment and performs the administrative and personnel management functions relative to assigned mental health programs.
• The incumbent is the SME to VA Facility leadership and staff for assigned Mental Health related programs and serves as a consultant to other VA professionals and administrators on program specific activities. The incumbent works with a wide variety of stakeholders (e.g., Veterans, family members, state and community agencies, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), military support programs, and community agencies.
• The incumbent manages Mental Health Program clinical and business operations, accountability for program effectiveness. The incumbent supports customer satisfaction, well-being and service delivery. The incumbent address Congressional inquiries, VISN and VA Central Office action items as requested. The incumbent develops a data-driven continuous quality improvement program with established goals and outcomes to evaluate and documents the program's effectiveness.
• The incumbent plans, organizes and coordinates operational, clinical and personnel activities for the Mental Health Programs he/she manage.
  
  

Clinical Responsibilities: (25% of time)

• Provides a full range of clinical services to include diagnosis and treatment of evidence-based mental disorders.
• Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others.
• Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual and group psychotherapy.
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Telework: Available (Ad-hoc)

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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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).
• A valid driver's license is required.
  
  

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

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  United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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-0101 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 VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.j.
  
  

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:

GS-13 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Manager)

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, which is defined as: In depth working knowledge of the program coordinated, and demonstrated knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and or practice guidelines for the program: Making key decisions in the hiring and identification of top candidates; Providing leadership in facilitating the process of coordinating program consults, assessments, admissions, care assignments and discharges: Providing subject matter consultation to other colleagues and trainees within the field of counseling working on an interdisciplinary team.

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:

• Ability to make judgments and decisions associated with program management.
• Ability to monitor program outcomes using data driven quality assurance process.
• Ability to develop productivity standards appropriate to each service provided.
• Ability to manage a wide range of programs which include the operation and management of key clinical, training or administrative programs.
  
  

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package.

Assignments. 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.



Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.



The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.



Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.



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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. Qualified applications will be referred every two weeks from the opening date of this announcement until the closing date, or until the position is filled, whichever is sooner.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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