The VA Central Iowa HCS is recruiting for 3 full-time Counselors for the Mental Health Integrated Care Community to provide service in the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program. These vacancies will be filled with either a Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, or a Staff Psychologist. Professional MH Counselors should apply under this announcement.
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).
The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor will function as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team and deliver brief mental health consultation-based services to Veterans within that setting. The focus is on general service delivery for a wide range of concerns and resolving problems within the primary care service context.
Behavioral health visits are brief (generally 20-30 minutes), limited in number (1-8 visits), and are provided in the primary care practice area, structured so that the Veteran views meetings with the behavioral health provider as a routine primary care service.
They will function within a fast-paced primary care team with the primary goal of assisting PACT members with identification, treatment, and management of mental health and behavioral medicine conditions in the enrolled population. They closely with the physician team lead, care managers, PCMHI prescribers, and all team members to provide therapeutic, counseling, and mental health support for complex cases.
The work is comprised of providing clinical services consistent with accepted standards of ethical and professional mental health treatment. Duties include, but are not limited to: - Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the primary care setting, especially in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and suicide assessment.
- Provides a full range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions found to be effective in primary care settings. Services may be delivered in a face-to-face and/or telehealth format. - Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders.
- Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the primary care setting and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues. - Provides brief and time limited individual, family and group counseling, as appropriate. - Provides consultation services to support Primary Care Provider (PCP) decision-making, building on PCP interventions and improving PCP-patient working relationships.
- Provides interventions with a focus on allowing patients to remain within Primary Care for the full range of their health care needs to the extent that this is clinically appropriate. -Provides follow-up of patient progress and treatment adherence with assessments and communication with their primary care team. -Participates in interdisciplinary teams, as needed, to improve organizational performance.
- Works closely with PCMHI supervisor, therapists and other PCMHI staff, including supporting other programs as needed. - Complies with all documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). Complies with the peer review and professional discipline procedures.
Position(s) listed under this Open Continuous Announcement (OCA) MAY be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants selected for an EDRP-eligible position will be notified in their conditional job offer. The selectee must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment.
Program approval, award amount (up to $200,000), and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
KELSEY.ALBANESE@VA.GOV · (515) 699-5999 X22023
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $52727 – $82938/yr.
Applications close on 2027-02-05.
There are 3 openings for this position.
This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-11-06 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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