Licensed Prof. Mental Health Counselor - Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs Counselor

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with 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 complete review of the EDRP application.

What you will do

• Identifies problems/needs from the assessment to be treated and develops the individual treatment plan.
• Provides individual professional input and addressing the social aspect of the patient's situation with the treatment team.
• Assists Veterans and the treatment team in navigating problems in the residential milieu.
• Ensures all case management as assigned for the duration of the Veteran's admission through post-discharge follow-up.
• Conducts therapeutic counseling in accordance with specific guidelines and handles crises regularly with minimal supervision.
• Serves as therapist/counselor with individuals and groups.
• Observes and documents behavior and reaction patterns of patients to be utilized by the multidisciplinary treatment team, and final disposition for follow-up.
• Develops and conducts lectures and educational presentations for patients related to various specialty aspects of general mental health, substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or Serious Mental Illness (SMI).
• Educates the veteran, their families, and the team on all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family on the preferred option.
• Develops, organizes, and implements a wide variety of outpatient aftercare treatment for patients and their collaterals.
• Develops and implements methods to motivate veterans to attend aftercare and/or participate in the outpatient program.
• Transports veterans to assist them in assessing resources or taking care of essential business.
• Government vehicle will be used as well as all processes, trainings, and requirements related to Government vehicle use.
• Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs.
• Educates the veteran and/or caregiver about the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of the surrogate decision-maker.
• Serves as a field instructor, preceptor, and/or mentor to interns, new/unlicensed, or newly licensed clinicians and peers as needed.
• Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate/approved formats and templates.
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers, and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies.
• Attends all appropriate staff meetings, team meetings, committee meetings, or group meetings and perform other duties as required.
• Collaborates in the performance improvement process and complies with performance measures as required by the appropriate program offices and local policies.
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment.
• Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise, and role modeling effective clinical practice skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30am - 4:00pm EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact ***, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
• Learn more Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 51240-A; 51241-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

• 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.
• 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 (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

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: ***

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: ***

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Documents you must provide

• To complete your application, please use the following link *** to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
• The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) Resume SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Additional information

***This is an open continuous announcement until October 26, 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** The initial cutoff date to review applicants will be on September 10, 2026.

Physical Requirements: Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others.

Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses are permitted), keen hearing (aid permitted), clear, distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds).

The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

The incumbent must be able to move within ADA-compliant workspaces, including travel between buildings.

Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Receiving Service Credit for 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.