U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (HCHV)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Spokane, Washington, United States, 99254
Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (HCHV)
Apply for the Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (HCHV) role at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Pay Base pay range: $65,726.00 - $103,374.00 per year.
Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program 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 application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.
Qualifications Applicants who are pending completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Basic Requirements
United States citizenship; non‑citizens may be appointed only 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 a related field accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Examples of related mental‑health counseling fields include Addiction Counseling, Community Counseling, Gerontology Counseling, Marital‑Couple‑and‑Family Counseling, and others.
Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment.
VHA policy requires that an LPMHC who does not yet have a license allowing independent practice be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.
Exception: VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. This exception applies only up to the full performance level, and for entry‑level (GS‑9) positions it may be waived for up to a 3‑year period under clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level.
Failure to obtain a license within three years from the date of appointment results in removal from the GS‑0183 LPMHC series and may result in termination of employment.
Once licensed, LPMHCs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted license. Loss of licensure results in removal from the GS‑0183 LPMHC occupation and may result in termination of employment.
Applicants may qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who meet the criteria).
Duties
Duties vary by grade.
At the GS‑11 full performance level, incumbents provide outreach services in remote areas of North Idaho, NW Montana, and Northeast Washington to local communities and at Stand‑Down events in rural and remote areas.
Provide clinical assessment and case‑management services (directly or via referral) to ensure Veteran care coordination with the VA medical center, community health or mental‑health providers, and agencies serving homeless populations.
Direct outreach to homeless Veterans, including in streets, remote campsites, and homeless camps; conduct field interviews, assessments, and referrals for homeless Veterans identified in the community, shelters, and “on‑the‑streets.”
Transport Veterans to appointments in the community to ensure continuity of care.
Maintain current and establish new relationships with community‑based service providers for the homeless and represent the VA at service provider meetings when appropriate.
Respond to calls from the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV).
Interview Veterans and/or their family members to establish facts, assess vulnerability and priorities, and develop preliminary care plans.
Conduct thorough assessments of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness.
Develop psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members.
Provide case‑management services using clinical judgment, identifying viable treatment options and high‑risk factors.
Provide direct mental‑health services to Veterans and family members or significant others.
Assist Veterans with problem solving, evaluate alternatives, and maintain appointment schedules with VA and community agencies.
Refer Veterans to VA and community services, including local shelters, food banks, employment services, veteran benefits, and social security applications.
Advocate for Veterans who encounter problems obtaining services from VA or other agencies.
Implement the Housing First model within the Homeless Program.
Work schedule: Monday‑Friday 8:00am‑4:30pm; telework not available; position not virtual.
Relocation/recruitment incentives: not authorized. EDRP authorized; former participants ineligible for incentive.
Seniority Level Entry level
Employment Type Full‑time
Job Function Health Care Provider
Industry Government Administration
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Pay Base pay range: $65,726.00 - $103,374.00 per year.
Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program 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 application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.
Qualifications Applicants who are pending completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Basic Requirements
United States citizenship; non‑citizens may be appointed only 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 a related field accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Examples of related mental‑health counseling fields include Addiction Counseling, Community Counseling, Gerontology Counseling, Marital‑Couple‑and‑Family Counseling, and others.
Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment.
VHA policy requires that an LPMHC who does not yet have a license allowing independent practice be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.
Exception: VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. This exception applies only up to the full performance level, and for entry‑level (GS‑9) positions it may be waived for up to a 3‑year period under clinical supervision of a licensed LPMHC who is at or above the full performance level.
Failure to obtain a license within three years from the date of appointment results in removal from the GS‑0183 LPMHC series and may result in termination of employment.
Once licensed, LPMHCs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted license. Loss of licensure results in removal from the GS‑0183 LPMHC occupation and may result in termination of employment.
Applicants may qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who meet the criteria).
Duties
Duties vary by grade.
At the GS‑11 full performance level, incumbents provide outreach services in remote areas of North Idaho, NW Montana, and Northeast Washington to local communities and at Stand‑Down events in rural and remote areas.
Provide clinical assessment and case‑management services (directly or via referral) to ensure Veteran care coordination with the VA medical center, community health or mental‑health providers, and agencies serving homeless populations.
Direct outreach to homeless Veterans, including in streets, remote campsites, and homeless camps; conduct field interviews, assessments, and referrals for homeless Veterans identified in the community, shelters, and “on‑the‑streets.”
Transport Veterans to appointments in the community to ensure continuity of care.
Maintain current and establish new relationships with community‑based service providers for the homeless and represent the VA at service provider meetings when appropriate.
Respond to calls from the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV).
Interview Veterans and/or their family members to establish facts, assess vulnerability and priorities, and develop preliminary care plans.
Conduct thorough assessments of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness.
Develop psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members.
Provide case‑management services using clinical judgment, identifying viable treatment options and high‑risk factors.
Provide direct mental‑health services to Veterans and family members or significant others.
Assist Veterans with problem solving, evaluate alternatives, and maintain appointment schedules with VA and community agencies.
Refer Veterans to VA and community services, including local shelters, food banks, employment services, veteran benefits, and social security applications.
Advocate for Veterans who encounter problems obtaining services from VA or other agencies.
Implement the Housing First model within the Homeless Program.
Work schedule: Monday‑Friday 8:00am‑4:30pm; telework not available; position not virtual.
Relocation/recruitment incentives: not authorized. EDRP authorized; former participants ineligible for incentive.
Seniority Level Entry level
Employment Type Full‑time
Job Function Health Care Provider
Industry Government Administration
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