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) & 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.

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

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy

English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English

Education: Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following: Marriage and Family Therapy from a program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) - OR Marriage and Family Therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution - OR A comparable mental health degree (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Social Work - Psychiatric Nursing - Psychology - and Psychiatry) that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession

Licensure: Must hold full - current - and unrestricted Marriage and Family Therapy license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a state or pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure

GS-9 Only: VA may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 3 years for a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) that provides care under the clinical supervision of a licensed MFT who is at or above the full performance level

Failure to become licensed within three years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0182 MFT series and may result in termination of employment

Grandfather Provision: An MFT employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (4/18/2018) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting all qualification requirements

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements stated above - the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade

The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade

GS-09 MFT (Entry Level) Requirements:

Along with meeting the basic education requirements for this position you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan - interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy - formal diagnostic criteria - risk assessment - evidence-based practice and assessment tools

Ability to assess - with supervision - the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members

Knowledge to formulate - implement - and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges - strengths - readiness to change - external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue - and interactional patterns within the client system

Ability to provide counseling and - or psychotherapy services - under supervision - to individuals - groups - couples and families in a manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system

Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes - case law - ethical codes - and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy

Ability to draft documents - manage data - maintain accurate - timely and thorough clinical documentation - and track quality improvements

GS-11 MFT (Full Performance Level) Requirements:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 you must have at least one year of post-master's degree experience in the field marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) AND must be licensed in a State at the independent practice level AND demonstrate the Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs) below

OR - in addition to the basic requirements - a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Social Work - Psychiatric Nursing - Psychology - and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting AND must be licensed in a State at the independent practice level AND demonstrate the following KSAs: Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members

Ability to provide counseling and - or psychotherapy services to individuals - groups - couples and families that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families - colleagues - and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical - ethical and legal issues and concerns

Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes - case law - ethical codes - regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy

This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality

Ability to provide orientation - training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students - and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs

Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents - data management - maintaining accurate - timely and thorough clinical documentation - and tracking quality improvements

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of the GS-0182 Marriage and Family Therapist job series is GS-11

The actual grade at which a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is either the GS-09 or the GS-11 grade level

Physical Requirements:

The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation.

Duties

The incumbent serves as an RCS Vet Center Readjustment Counselor - providing counseling services - outreach - referral - and follow up care coordination to eligible individuals - couples - and family members

In this capacity - the incumbent functions as a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of 4 or more staff members

This entails the incumbent contributing proactively to internal coordination of care and collaborative planning and problem solving among all staff

Duties include - but are not limited to: Screening and Assessment: Will work directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship sufficient for completing all required readjustment counseling intake procedures to include an assessment of risk for self-harm and psychosocial functioning

This information will be used as the foundation for identifying the presenti

• Screening and Assessment: Will work directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship sufficient for completing all required readjustment counseling intake procedures to include an assessment of risk for self-harm and psychosocial functioning
• Providing counseling services, outreach, referral, and follow up care coordination to eligible individuals, couples, and family members.
• Contributing proactively to internal coordination of care and collaborative planning and problem solving among all staff.

• Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan, interventions based on research and family systems theory and therapy, formal diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice and assessment tools
• Ability to assess - with supervision - the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members
• Knowledge to formulate - implement - and re-evaluate a treatment plan through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges - strengths - readiness to change - external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue - and interactional patterns within the client system
• Ability to provide counseling and - or psychotherapy services - under supervision - to individuals - groups - couples and families in a manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing of the client system
• Basic knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes - case law - ethical codes - and regulations affecting professional practice of marriage and family therapy
• Ability to draft documents - manage data - maintain accurate - timely and thorough clinical documentation - and track quality improvements
• Skill to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members
• Ability to provide counseling and - or psychotherapy services to individuals - groups - couples and families that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families - colleagues - and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical - ethical and legal issues and concerns
• Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes - case law - ethical codes - regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy
• Ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality
• Ability to provide orientation - training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students - and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs
• Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents - data management - maintaining accurate - timely and thorough clinical documentation - and tracking quality improvements

• Master's or doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from a COAMFTE-approved program or a regionally accredited institution, OR a comparable mental health degree.
• Full, current, and unrestricted Marriage and Family Therapy license to independently practice, or pending completion of state prerequisites.
• For GS-09: Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities in human development, family systems theory, diagnostic criteria, risk assessment, evidence-based practice, psychosocial functioning assessment, treatment plan formulation, counseling/psychotherapy, relevant statutes/case law/ethical codes/regulations, and clinical documentation.
• For GS-11: At least one year of post-master's degree experience in marriage and family therapy AND independent practice licensure, OR a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable mental health degree AND independent practice licensure. Demonstrated skills in independent assessment, counseling/psychotherapy, establishing working relationships, knowledge of relevant statutes/policies, assisting with informed decisions, providing orientation/training/supervision, and computer software applications for documentation.