Summary

The incumbent is a member of an interdisciplinary team that provides treatment to patients with a diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD); patients may also have coexisting medical and other psychiatric conditions/problems. The Incumbent may be assigned to work areas both inside the VAMC Washington DC main medical center and in other community bases outpatient clinics (CBOC's).

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:

• 1
• Citizenship
• All applicants are required to be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g.) 2
• Education
• Applicant's must hold a master's degree or higher in drug and alcohol studies or related behavioral health field from an accredited college or university
• 3
• Licensure
• Individuals appointed or reassigned to an LMAT position must possess a full, current, and unrestricted license in a jurisdiction for independent practice in the field of Alcohol and Drug Treatment
• For grades/assignments at or above the full performance level, candidates must be licensed at the master's level
• Failure to Obtain Licensure
• Prior to the time of appointment, HR Office staff will provide uncertified or unlicensed LMATs, the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline
• In all cases, LMATs must actively pursue meeting requirements for licensure starting from the date of their appointment
• If LMATs fail to obtain licensure during this time period, their employment may be terminated
• Loss of License
• In collaboration with HR Office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees of the duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation who fail to maintain the required licensure or certification, which may also result in separation from employment
• 4
• Physical Requirements
• Physical demands of the work are generally minor and are generally sedentary in nature but may require physical activity
• Physical activity involves sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and carrying light items such as papers, books, or other supplies
• The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks
• The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the Veteran/Patient population and their families/caregivers
• A level of self-awareness is essential
• 5
• English Language Proficiency
• All applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
• 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: Addiction Therapist (Licensed Master's) GS-11
• (1) Experience
• One year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade
• (2) Licensure
• Candidates must possess a full, current and unrestricted license in a State for independent practice in the field of Alcohol and Drug Treatment
• (3) NOTE: Applicants who meet the qualifications requirements for an AT at the full performance level, who have a minimum of one year experience at that level and who have obtained the master's degree and license will be qualified at the GS-11 level
• (4) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill to independently complete assessments of substance use disorders, treatment planning and continued care planning
• (b) Skill to apply the principles, concepts and methods of counseling and therapies used in the treatment of individuals with SUDs
• 13 (c) Skill to collaborate and consult on medical or other psychiatric disorders as interrelated to SUDs
• (d) Ability to apply various community-based recovery programs and resources in a treatment plan
• (5) Assignment
• This assignment is the full performance level, for LMATs
• At the full performance level LMATs independently provide addiction screening/assessments, orientation/education, treatment planning and counseling in person or via telehealth
• They analyze problems and interpret and adapt guidelines such as policies, regulations, precedents, etc
• for application to specific problems and recommend changes
• LMATs provide evidenced-based practices in programming and recovery plan development
• They provide psychoeducation for individuals, groups, families and couples either as leaders or co-leader
• LMATs administer crisis intervention to patients in psychological distress handling emergencies within the scope of practice
• They perform clinical supervision and oversight of patient care
• They handle the coordination of treatment, and management of acute and chronic substance use and mental health issues
• LMATs manage a caseload of patients with complex addictions, and mental and related physical problems
• LMATs involve participants and their identified support systems in the treatment via education, treatment and planning
• They develop a diagnostic evaluation/summary of the client's substance abuse and coexisting conditions
• LMATs utilize assessment and diagnostic evaluations to develop an individualized treatment plan
• and incorporate assessments and psychological testing results from physical exams and urine toxicology data for use by a multidisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan
• They make recommendations to the treatment team regarding readiness for discharge
• LMATs are part of the team that formulates discharge plans and arranges referrals to community agencies and organizations
• They ascertain the employment history to include employment difficulties
• and conduct an assessment for vocational services planning and housing support and provide community-based resources that assist with recovery
• LMATs collaborate with other disciplines to compile data to ensure quality patient care and compliance with Joint Commission Standards and ensure current information is available
• Preferred Experience: Incumbent possesses knowledge of basic principles, concepts, and methods of counseling and therapies used in treatment of individuals with SUD's
• The knowledge and skills may have been acquired through a pertinent formal course of study or may have been acquired through pertinent on-the-job training
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit: https://www.va.gov/OHRM/QualificationStandards/HT38/0101-AddictionTherapist.pdf The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Duties

• Utilizes an abstinence-based approach for individuals some requiring the benefit of a prescribed opiate agonist therapy (OAT)
• Provides a variety of evaluative, therapeutic, and consultative tasks in identifying, providing, and ensuring continuity of rehabilitative treatment to those with SUD's are who outpatients
• Incumbent works in collaboration with other personnel, towards maintaining high quality SUD rehabilitation counseling care
• Performs duties critically, and contributes to the further refinement and improvement of counseling services offered through the Substance Abuse Recovery Program
• Performs duties as a clinical expert in the field of addiction counseling
• Supervises, and train other therapists and rehabilitation technicians assigned to SARP
• Knowledge of basic principles, concepts, and methods of counseling and therapies used in treatment of individuals with SUD's
• Provides addiction screening/assessments, orientation/education, treatment planning and counseling in person or via telehealth
• Analyzes problems and interpret and adapt guidelines such as policies, regulations, precedents, etc
• for application to specific problems and recommend changes
• Provides evidenced-based practices in programming and recovery plan development
• Administer crisis intervention to patients in psychological distress handling emergencies
• Performs clinical supervision and oversight of patient care
• Handles the coordination of treatment, and management of acute and chronic substance use and mental health issues
• Develops a diagnostic evaluation/summary of the client's substance abuse and coexisting conditions
• Utilizes assessment and diagnostic evaluations to develop an individualized treatment plan
• Formulates discharge plans and arranges referrals to community agencies and organizations
• Conducts an assessment for vocational services planning and housing support and provide community-based resources that assist with recovery
• Establishes, maintains, and updates all computerized records on patients
• Records information and observations in patient's records with sufficient clarity
• Evaluates patient's records on recurring basis to assess the current condition and progress
• Attends SARP interdisciplinary treatment planning meetings
• Prepares administrative reports as assigned
• Supervises others assuring delivery of high-quality case management and documentation of care provided
• Provides direct services to patients receiving OAT/methadone, including assisting pharmacy personnel in the monitoring of methadone dispensing
• Consults and submits requests to increases/decreases of patient's dosages according to identified treatment needs
• Supervises the collection of and screening of random urinalysis and breath alcohol content (BAC)
• Assists with screening of OAT applicants
• Provides a complete spectrum of outpatient aftercare substance abuse services
• Is a contact between Federal and State agencies, community/area agencies, organizations, and officials as regards to outpatient treatment of veterans with SUD's, aftercare, rehabilitation, follow-up, and placement of patients discharged
• Determines strengths and weaknesses of SARP and developing proposal for program improvement/refinement
• Provides substance abuse/alcohol education and training to appropriate individuals internal and external
• Provides consultation and clinical supervisory assistance to rehabilitation technicians, volunteers, and paraprofessionals that are providing direct service to SARP outpatient aftercare patients
• Serves as a member on Multidisciplinary Treatment Planning (MTP) team for the rehabilitation process for SARP patients and program compliance
• Serves on the Quality Assurance Substance Abuse Committee, participating in the specific and continual developmental evaluative elements of this Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
• Participates in peer review and other performance improvement activities to assure quality documentation by self and peers
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday - 07:30am - 04:00pm
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized