Marriage & Family Therapist (BHIP Program Coordinator)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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: 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, OR (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: Persons hired or reassigned to MFT positions in the GS-0101 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State. English Language Proficiency: MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. 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). All persons employed in VHA as a MFT on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, demoted, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. MFTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees who are retained as a MFT under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as a MFT. 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. Reference: VA Handbook 5005/101, Part II, Appendix G44. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Light lifting (under 15 pounds), Walking (up to 2 hours), Hearing (aid permitted), emotional/mental stability.
This position serves as the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Deputy Program Coordinator for the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Teams. BHIP is a multidisciplinary outpatient program within the MH Service that provides state-of-the-art mental health services for veterans based on the psychiatric rehabilitation recovery model.