Qualifications

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,(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-0182 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted MFT license to independently practice marriage and family therapy in a State
• Exception: The Secretary, or his/her designee, may waive the licensure requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of State prerequisites for licensure examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment on the condition that MFTs appointed on this basis provide care only under the supervision of a fully licensed MFT with an AAMFT approved license
• Non-licensed MFTs who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given an appointment as an MFT under the authority of 38 U.S.C.7401(3)
• This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9)
• For grades at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be licensed
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• 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
• GS-11 In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Experience, Education and Licensure Requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-master's degree experience in the field of marriage and family therapy work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure in a State at the independent practice level
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below
• OR, In addition to the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or comparable degree in mental health that meets the current VA qualification standard of that profession (Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, Psychology, and Psychiatry) may be substituted for the required one year of marriage and family therapy experience in a clinical setting
• AND the candidate must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level, and they must demonstrate the following KSAs below: Skills to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members
• Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, couples and families in a culturally competent manner that facilitates change through restructuring and reorganizing the client system
• An ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Veterans and their families, colleagues, and other professionals in collaboration throughout treatment regarding clinical, ethical and legal issues and concerns
• Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case law, ethical codes, regulations and VA policies affecting the practice of marriage and family therapy
• This includes the ability to assist Veterans and their families in making informed decisions relevant to treatment to include limits of confidentiality
• Ability to provide orientation, training and consultation to new MFTs including clinical oversight of MFT graduate students, and/or provide clinical supervision to pre-licensure MFTs
• Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements
• Assignments: MFTs at the full performance level are licensed to independently practice marriage and family therapy
• MFTs can provide general mental health services to Veterans within the ethics and guidelines professional standards
• MFTs at this level formulate, implement, and re- evaluate treatment plans through continuous assessment identifying the Veteran's challenges, strengths, readiness to change, external influences and current events surrounding the origins and maintenance of the presenting issue, and interactional patterns within the client system
• In the event that Advanced or Supervisory level assignments are not established/supportable, the incumbents at this level can be responsible for clinical supervision for licensing purposes only, provided they have an AAMFT approved supervisor credential
• Preferred Experience: EBP experience
• Outpatient Therapy
• Time Limited Treatments Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/101, PART II, APPENDIX G44
• MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD, GS-0182, Veterans Health Administration, April 18, 2018.For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019.