Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for a full-time Mental Health Counselor for the Mental Health Integrated Care Community Service Line. This vacancy will be filled with either a Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, or a Staff Psychologist.

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. The incumbent provides clinical case management services to the Veteran population enrolled at the Fargo VA Medical Center. Services include provision of high quality case management, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and agencies as needed by the client. This work typically requires extensive coordination of services with a wide range of Veterans and through the VA Health Care system and is accomplished in collaboration with other members of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program team members, or specialty mental health interdisciplinary treatment teams as appropriate. Duties include, but are not limited to: Identification - Veterans are identified for the potential need for case management through self-referral, referral from family/ caregivers, referral through BHIP or community partners. Crisis Intervention - As needed, the Counselor makes rapid assessments and develops crisis management plans to meet Veteran needs in the least restrictive setting; in the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, Counselor will follow the protocol of the Medical Center. Screening and Assessment Screening - Counselor will screen all referred Veterans for clinical eligibility for case management services using standardized level of care coordination tools in order to ensure consistency of screening and subsequent services. Comprehensive Assessment - The Counselor will complete an assessment of the veteran's family, economic, community, and psychosocial support systems when clinically indicated; assessments must reflect a high level of skill in gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and documenting data that is pertinent and directly related to patient health care planning, treatment, education and case management; Veterans, family members, significant others and the interdisciplinary treatment team are involved in this process, whenever possible; goal of the communication is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/ external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status and safely maintain the veteran in his/her home. Mental Health Diagnosing using DSM-5 and I CD-10 Codes - Counselor demonstrates knowledge in DSM-5 diagnosing and documents diagnostic impressions in psychosocial assessments when appropriate; Counselor may function independently or within a team to determine an appropriate diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan based on that diagnosis. Need Identification - Key concerns, needs and preferences of Veteran, family/ caregiver is identified; Counselor assigns initial level of care coordination, and further stratifies Veterans receiving complex care coordination into 'tiers' or 'levels' per the type of case management interventions and frequency of contacts. Problem Solving and Goal Identification - Counselor initiates problem-solving strategies during which Veteran and family/caregivers desired or expected goal(s), and outcome(s) are recognized, organized and prioritized through a brokered process between the Veteran, family or caregiver and Counselor; ensures goals and objectives are formulated using specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and timebound (SMART) tenants. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. 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.