Summary

The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Program Manager is a leadership position responsible for managing the administrative and clinical aspects of the Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP) across the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee the day to day business of the committee, including approving the agenda, minutes, and follow up actions for all decisions or business items at the committee meeting.
• Provide quarterly reports to the Executive Leadership Board.
• Oversee, review, and individualize an evidence-based, data-driven violence risk and threat assessments to determine the likelihood that a patient's disruptive behavior or a visitor's disruptive behavior will undermine the culture of safety in G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center.
• Forward violence risk mitigation strategy recommendations and therapeutic, limit setting actions to the facility's COS, or his/her designee, in order to promote the delivery of safe and effective healthcare.
• Chair the Employee Threat Assessment TEAM (ETAT); appointed by the Facility Director to lead a diverse and interdisciplinary team including representatives from the Local Bargaining unit, Executive Office, Human Resources, Behavioral Health Professionals, VA Police, Safety Office, and Regional Counsel.
• Oversee the day to day business of the ETAT, including reviewing and approving behavioral threat assessments and follow up actions for all decisions or business items at the ETAT meetings.
• Review reports as needed for the Executive Office that include a summary of actions taken by ETAT and a statement of finding regarding whether the reported behavior poses a threat to any individuals and/or the workplace, a list of recommendations to mitigate the risk, and information on reasonably foreseeable circumstances that would raise or lower the current level of assessed risk.
• Provide support resources for employees affected by workplace violence.
• Manages events received to ensure they are reviewed and managed accordingly by DBC and/or ETAT.
• Participates in monthly ETAT Community of Practice conference calls, provided by the National Workplace Violence Prevention Program.
• Provides oversight of the PMDB program.
• Collaborates with the PMDB coordinator, on a regular and recurring basis, regarding scheduling and coverage for the teaching of PMDB classes.

The primary aim of this collaboration is to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that PMDB classes occur as scheduled and minimize the number of classes that are cancelled due to low attendance or other administrative issues such as a lack of training space.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus)

Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance)

Not Authorized

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off

37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.

Parental Leave

After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy

After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement

Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.

Insurance

Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).

Telework

Not Available

Virtual

This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #

01021F

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

Not Authorized

Requirements 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. 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.

Qualifications 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: LPMHCs must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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.

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.

Exception

VHA may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure. This exception only applies up to the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed.

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

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

• 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.

Preferred Experience

Experience working as a leader or member of a multidisciplinary team. Experience analyzing data, identifying trends, and preparing reports for leads and interdisciplinary teams. Experience coaching and educating teams at multiple levels of the organization. Strong oral and written communication skills.

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.

Physical Requirements

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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 https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

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. A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.