Summary

The Bachelor's Level Addiction Therapist (AT) provides Addiction Therapy-focused counseling and treatment services to eligible Veterans presenting with substance use and addiction problems. Addiction Therapy encompasses a broad range of interventions for the treatment of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and non-diagnostic yet problematic substance use that incorporates evidence-based addiction and behavioral health counseling models.

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
• Physical Standards
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• Education: Hold a bachelor's degree in drug and alcohol studies or a related behavioral health field from an accredited college or university
• In some jurisdictions - individuals may not be required to hold a bachelor's degree to be licensed/certified in Alcohol and Drug Treatment
• VHA will not waive education requirements even if the candidate has a license/certification that does not require a bachelor's degree
• English Language Proficiency: Addition Therapist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Licensure: Individuals appointed or reassigned to an Addiction Therapist position in the GS-0101 series must: Hold a full - current - and unrestricted license/certification in a state - territory - commonwealth - or the District of Columbia to practice in the field of Alcohol and Drug Treatment
• AND Complete one of the following: International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium - Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Certification
• or National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors - National Certified Addiction Counselor Level 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).Grandfathering Provision: Applicants 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 in this occupational series or another occupational series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education - credential or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure - certification - or registration - may be reassigned - promoted - or demoted within the occupation
• Employees in an occupation that requires licensure - certification - or registration may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance level - or demoted within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees in an occupation that require a licensure - certification - or registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure - certification - or registration requirement before being promoted to those higher grade levels
• Employees 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 initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure - certification - or registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard - must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Employees retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision who leave that occupation or employment with the VA - lose protected status - and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation and/or VA
• Grade Determinations: Candidates must demonstrate all the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs) required at the GS-07 Level: 1
• Experience
• In addition to the basic requirements - at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• OR 2
• Education (Advanced Entry Level Placement)
• Applicants who meet the GS-05 grade level may be appointed at the GS-07 grade level if they possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study in a drug and alcohol studies or a related behavioral health field with an exemplary academic record as demonstrated by: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript - or as computed based on four years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum
• OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum
• OR Class Standing: Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college - university or major subdivision based on completed courses 3
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience/education requirements - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs
• Knowledge of principles - concepts and methods of counseling and therapies used in treatment of individuals with SUDs
• Knowledge of appropriate documentation of substance use history and treatment
• Ability to identify patients who are in psychological distress
• Grade Determinations: Candidates must demonstrate all the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs) required at the GS-09 Level: Knowledge of coexisting medical or other mental health disorders as interrelated to SUDs
• Ability to complete assessments of substance use disorders - treatment planning and continued care planning
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working or therapeutic relationships with multidisciplinary staff - Veterans - and their families - from various backgrounds and community resources to ensure appropriate referrals
• Preferred Experience: Experience with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) standardized assessment tools
• Experience with chart reviews - clinical services - and diagnosis
• Experience in providing treatment and rehabilitation to individuals
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 09
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 05 to 09.

Duties

• Participates in the service - training - consultative - and other professional activities of the SUD program as a member of the multi-disciplinary treatment team
• Conducts a variety of clinical assessments
• Assesses the patient's family - support system - and the patient's individual needs
• Prepares written assessments based on knowledge of each patient's background and medical history for use by members of the multidisciplinary treatment team or the therapist's use in developing the appropriate treatment process
• Assimilates the information in various assessment and diagnostic reports in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and works with other professionals in the multidisciplinary treatment team to formulate treatment plans for each Veteran assigned
• Conducts group - family - and individual therapeutic counseling sessions
• and psychoeducational groups in accordance with specific guidelines
• all counseling sessions or therapeutic interventions will be documented in the Cerner in a timely manner
• Meets with individual Veterans and their families in counseling - as appropriate
• Makes provision for referral services to other agency or organizations - community resources (i.e. - halfway house or shelter) or other Governmental resources to resolve problems - as appropriate
• Refers clients with more serious problems to appropriate treatment resources within and outside the VA Outpatient Clinic
• Uses their professional skills routinely to motivate clients to resume more effective control of their own life
• Employs therapeutic methods and techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that will help the client work towards the best way of achieving their recovery goals
• Acts as leader of various group activities with topics such as relapse prevention - anger management - interpersonal communication - and codependency
• When assigned - the incumbent revises and implements
• Content/structural changes to existing groups and collaborates in program development as Service need/expansion dictates
• Observes patient behaviors possibly indicating difficulty adapting or responding to treatment (e.g. - missed assessment appointments - failure to attend or maintain abstinence - risk to self or to others - disruptive behavior - etc.) - completes appropriate documentation and reports concerns to the SUD supervisor or treatment team in a timely manner
• Coordinate appropriate referrals to other team members or other behavioral health services outside SUD when clinically indicated
• Provides consultation - assistance - and education to other members of BHS regarding substance abuse issues either informally through patient consultation or formally via educational seminars
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0800-1630 Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #:0000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required