SUMMARY

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & 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 ineligible to apply.

QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

The basic requirements for employment as a VHA MFT are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(10), as amended by section 239 of Public Law114-223, enacted Sept 29, 2016. To qualify for appointment as an MFT in VHA, all applicants must:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with applicable law).
• 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 the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).
• OR
• (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.
• English Language Proficiency. MFTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d).

EDUCATION

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. If selected for this position, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. 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 complete review of the EDRP application. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.
IMPORTANT: This position has a positive education or training requirement. An unofficial copy of college transcripts showing completion of the required degree or program is required and must include the name of the school, your name, date conferred or completed, and degree or certificate type.
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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. YOUR APPLICATION, RESUME, C.V., AND/OR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION WILL BE VERIFIED. PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT CONSIDERATION FOR EMPLOYMENT.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Clinical Responsibilities (51%):

• Conduct Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) approaches to include biofeedback, clinical hypnosis, guided imagery, and meditation within clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Provide whole health coaching to individuals or groups in outpatient and/or inpatient settings using motivational interviewing and coaching techniques to assist with SMART goal setting.
• Counsel Veterans to promote health and wellness in a variety of settings across the Alaska VA HCS.
• Serve as needed and as a backup for suicide prevention clinical duties

The MFT Program Director has broad program management and supervisory responsibilities that include:

• Direct Supervisor of Whole Health and Suicide Prevention hired staff.
• Full responsibility to manage and supervise all phases of the Whole Health Program at the Alaska VA.
• Manage and supervise the Suicide Prevention Program at the Alaska VA.
• Establish and maintain a continuous and systematic process of curriculum development, assessment, review, revision, evaluation, and implementation of the Whole Health and Suicide Prevention programs.
• Plan and develop policies, procedures, and goals, and implement and educate staff on applicable Veterans Health Administration (VHA) directives, handbooks, or other policies.
• Measure progress toward goals and reports to the appropriate officials at a local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and National level.
• Serve as the professional and technical advisor in Whole Health for the facility; promote Whole Health principles to facility employees.
• Provide direct budgetary supervision of Whole Health programs and is accountable for resources used, directly and indirectly.
• Ensure inventory procedures and logistical procedures for all Whole Health supplies.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of the patient-centered care concept throughout the organization. Use individual and aggregate needs assessments, standards of professional practice, and strategic plans in the process of program development.
• Chair the Whole Health committee(s).
• Use knowledge, expertise, principles or models, and current research to plan, implement, and evaluate organizational progress towards accomplishing patient-centered care initiatives.
• Responsible for supporting the New Employee Orientation, New Patient Orientation, and will routinely communicate needs for resources as necessary.
• Have advanced knowledge and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness.
• Perform specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness.
• Incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to determine priority for services and provide specialized treatment services.
• Have advanced, expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial case management interventions used in the treatment of all Veterans.
• Offer consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role model effective social work practice skills

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50’s (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential
• Other (2)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcrip

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/15/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12792542.

• To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
• Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package