Job Details

Mental Health Counselor

The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for a full-time Mental Health Counselor for the Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) program within the Mental Health Integrated Care Community (ICC). This vacancy will be filled by either a Social Worker or a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor. The two-page resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to the required documents below.

General Description of Assigned Duties: To provide mental health services to the veteran population enrolled in the Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) program within the Mental Health Integrated Care Community (ICC) at the Fargo VA Medical Center. Services include provision of high-quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and agencies as needed by the client. This is accomplished in collaboration with other members of the MHC Team or other interdisciplinary treatment teams as appropriate.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Respond timely to consults sent to the ICMHR/RANGE program by interviewing Veterans utilizing questionnaires and other measurement devices while assessing the Veteran's emotional, functional, and psychological condition.
• Function as case manager for Veterans in the ICMHR program performing duties to facilitate independent community living by coordinating mental health and community care.
• Participate in development of a treatment plan for enrolled Veterans with measurable goals outlined based on relevant psychological, medical, and psychiatric information with the principles of treatment matching.
• Assist Veterans in the ICMHR program in the preparation of materials needed for applications to various agencies for entitlements, then follow the process of the application until a determination has been made.
• Serve as the major consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes Veterans encounter when interacting with government and community agencies.
• Collaborate with members of the ICMHR team and other professional specialty clinics to provide comprehensive care to ICMHR enrolled Veterans.
• Conduct individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues.
• Serve as therapist in treatment groups, individual psychotherapy, and family therapy as needed.
• Assess needs of ICMHR enrolled Veterans regarding their substance abuse, psychiatric and medical disorders, and the treatments and medications required, incorporating teaching in the treatment.
• Aid with medication management for ICMHR enrolled Veterans.
• Conduct home visits and community visits to maintain and encourage community living.
• Collaborate with Adult Foster Care homes where ICMHR enrolled Veterans reside. This position requires 75% or more travel to Veteran's homes. A valid driver's license is required.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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) 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: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. Must have a valid driver's license. 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.

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. Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified.

English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.

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: GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
• Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology.

GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan.
• Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who