Supervisory Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Inpatient Psychiatric Unit)

Quick Facts

• Role: Supervisory Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor for an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (30-bed acute unit)

• Schedule: M–F, 8:00am–4:30pm

• Telework: Ad-hoc; may be available based on services needs

Description

Lead administrative and clinical operations for a 30-bed acute inpatient psychiatric unit, including supervision of providers and oversight of therapeutic milieu, safety protocols, and treatment outcomes. Provide advanced counseling services—such as crisis intervention, assessments, and individual/group/marital therapy—while coordinating with an interdisciplinary team. Drive quality improvement through measurement-based program evaluation and develop new therapeutic programming to maximize patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Ensure efficient daily operation and complex administrative/program management for the IPU

• Provide direct supervision and professional accountability for the Assistant Program Manager, staff physicians, and night shift APRNs and PAs

• Develop staff competencies; promote working relationships and an effective treatment team environment

• Manage therapeutic milieu, including therapeutic programming and staff-patient interaction direction

• Oversee effectiveness of interventions delivered by the interdisciplinary treatment team (individual and systems levels)

• Maintain a healthy environment of care; coordinate with Bioengineering, Information Technology, Patient Safety, and Environmental Services

• Maintain staff/patient physical safety and develop safety protocols for emergency scenarios; ensure regular training

• Ensure operations meet or exceed Joint Commission accreditation standards and VA Central Office expectations (including OIG and MHEOC)

• Develop and use policies/procedures supporting staff training and service delivery standards

• Maximize program performance and patient outcomes using an ongoing measurement system and modified treatment programming

• Lead new programming and special projects to improve efficacy and safety; assess project/program effectiveness

• Perform psychological and substance abuse assessments as needed

• Provide therapeutic interventions (individual, group, marital), psychoeducation, and care coordination

• Provide psychological consultation to non-psychologist team members

• Support training activities (psychology interns/trainees, medical and nursing students, residents) and serve on the Training Committee

• Oversee program monitoring and outcome measurements using data-driven quality assurance processes

• Assist with required program evaluations and documentation for Medical Center, Health Care System, VISN, and VACO

• Plan/oversee research projects and present outcome data at professional or VA meetings as needed

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship

• Selective Service registration (for males born after 12/31/1959)

• Proficiency in written and spoken English

• Subject to background/security investigation

• Complete online onboarding and pre-employment requirements (ID verification)

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program

• Serve a 1–2 year trial period as a condition of employment

• Full, current, unrestricted Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor license for independent diagnosis and treatment (GS-0183 in VHA)

• Master’s or doctoral degree in a CACREP-accredited program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, or an approved related field

• At least 1 year of progressively complex experience equivalent to GS-11 demonstrating advanced practice skills and judgment

• Demonstrated ability to administratively supervise providers and conduct meetings (GS-12)

Benefits

A comprehensive federal employee benefits package is available; eligibility depends on the type of position held (full-time, part-time, or intermittent).