Marriage and Family Therapist (Program Coordinator) Inpatient Mental Health Program Manager (IMHPM)

Job description

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 (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Responsibilities The Inpatient Mental Health Program Manager (IMHPM) is a leadership position responsible for overseeing the clinical and administrative operations of the inpatient mental health unit at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center.

This role requires ensuring high-quality, evidence-based therapeutic programming and compliance with VHA policies and directives, including VHA Directive 1160.06.Duties include but not limited to: Oversees the Acute Mental Health Inpatient unit, a major program at GVSMVAMC, delivering specialized, complex, and highly professional care that significantly impacts Veterans' healthcare.

Manages key clinical, training, and administrative programs with full responsibility for day-to-day activities.

Performs strategic planning and resource allocation to ensure high-quality services for Veterans.

Ensures well-coordinated, high-quality post-discharge care for high-risk Veterans.

Supervises direct reports, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional mental health counselors, addiction therapists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and/or peer support specialists.

Conducts performance evaluations, approve time and leave, monitor fund control points, and oversee daily operations, including budgetary oversight.

Implement cost-saving measures without impairing operational effectiveness.

Develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements.

Request backfills or new positions as needed.

Provides direct clinical care to Veterans at least 50% of the time, ensuring active involvement in patient management and care delivery.

Patient care services may be delivered on the inpatient unit or in other outpatient or residential mental health settings, as determined by needs of the service.

Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services using the most appropriate assessment techniques.

Offer a full range of evidence-based therapeutic interventions including individual therapy, marital/family therapy, group therapy, and substance abuse treatment.

Participates in interdisciplinary treatment team (ITT) meetings as indicated, contributing to comprehensive treatment planning and coordination.

Oversees the clinical work of unit or other staff, reviews documentation, and performs chart reviews to ensure quality of care.

Provides clinical consultation to various disciplines and training levels.

Provides clinical supervision to pre-licensure students or other personnel as appropriate to scope and licensure.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact rhonda.eady@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Learn more Telework: Not Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 01438-F.

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 (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.

Must pass pre-employment medical evaluation.

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 Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.

Education Requirement.

Candidates must meet one of the following: (1) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by COAMFTE, (2) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a MFT program from a regionally accredited institution, OR, (3) Hold a master's degree or doctoral degree in 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 Requirement.

Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State.

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: Marriage and Family Therapist, GS-12 (Program Coordinator): Experience, Education, and Licensure.

In addition to the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment.

MFT program coordinators of family programs must be trained in family systems therapy/theory.

If the assignment is responsible for providing systemic clinical supervision for licensure the individual must have an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (b) below: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet multiple deadlines, delegate tasks and facilitate team building.

Ability to manage and direct the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.

Ability to devise innovative ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, to develop staffing and budget requirements, and to translate management goals and objectives into well- coordinated and controlled work operations and ensure compliance with pertinent VHA policies.

Ability to establish and monitor performance priorities according to standards and program evaluation criteria.

Knowledge of family systems theory/therapy in coordination of family programs.

Preferred Experience: Experience working in inpatient Mental Health, familiar with inpatient mental health policies/procedures Experience evaluating and treating acute mental health crises, including active suicidal behavior and psychosis Experience providing evidence-based psychotherapies for suicidal behavior, substance use, PTSD, depression and other mental health conditions.

LMFT-S supervisory credential References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is 12.

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

Additional Information 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.

Required Skill Profession

Other General