kandidatu USA

Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor

Veterans Health Administration · Department of Veterans Affairs

This job in plain English

This is a senior licensed mental health counselor job at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, part of the Veterans Health Administration. The counselor gives advanced, independent care in an outpatient clinic to veterans with serious mental health needs and crises. The job is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, which can help repay student loans.

Telework eligible1 vacancy

Can you apply?

Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen: this job is open to everyone.

  • Open to everyoneAny U.S. citizen or national can apply. Some jobs also accept non-citizens; the announcement says so.
  • Federal employees (competitive service)Current or former federal employees with competitive status (career or career-conditional).
  • Agency employees onlyOnly current employees of the hiring agency.
  • Federal employees (excepted service)Current federal employees in the excepted service; the announcement says which agencies count.

Other groups listed above may get extra consideration, for example veterans' preference.

The job is open to U.S. citizens, nationals, and people who owe allegiance to the U.S. It is also open to current permanent VA employees, federal employees of other agencies, and VHA health professions trainees if applicable. Former EDRP participants cannot apply.

What you would do

  • Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to meet each veteran's care needs.
  • Screen, assess, and diagnose a range of psychiatric disorders.
  • Build treatment plans with veterans, including discharge goals and timelines.
  • Provide individual, group, and family counseling and psychotherapy.
  • Assess at-risk veterans in crisis and create safety plans.
  • Teach patients and family members to support care and prevent relapse.

Do you qualify for GS-12?

With experience: You need at least 1 year of progressively complex licensed mental health counselor experience at the GS-11 level. You also need 5 years of experience after your license that shows advanced skills, and you must be licensed to supervise trainees or unlicensed counselors.

With education: You need a master's or doctoral degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, or a related field. The program must be accredited by CACREP (Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).

Licenses and certifications you need:

  • Full, current, unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, including diagnosis and treatment

How to apply well

What to send:

  • Long-form resume or CV showing job titles, duties, start and end dates (month/year), and average hours per week
  • Transcript if you use education to qualify
  • Copy of your license if required
  • Most recent SF-50 if you are or were a federal employee
  • DD-214 if you claim veterans' preference
  • SF-15 if you claim 10-point veterans' preference

How you will be rated: You are rated on how well you meet the qualifications, based on your questionnaire and documents. Your application and documents will be verified, and missing or unclear information may lead to an ineligible rating or a lower score.

Tips for this job:

  • Describe your experience clearly and specifically, because the agency will not assume anything about it.
  • If you use education to qualify, include transcripts and make sure your school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accreditor.
  • Submit your full application package by 11:59 PM ET on 11/09/2026.

Good to know before you apply

Schedule: Full-time, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, subject to change based on facility needs.

Incentives and relocation: Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan repayment reimbursement program. Applicants must submit the EDRP application within four months of appointment, and the VHA program office decides approval and the award amount. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized.

Conditions of employment:

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Selective Service registration for males born after 12/31/1959
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Background and security investigation
  • Pre-employment physical evaluation
  • Acceptable identification for online onboarding; non-REAL ID driver's licenses are not accepted
  • Annual seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption
  • Annual TB screening or testing
  • 1 or 2-year trial period
  • Applicants pending license or education requirements may be tentatively selected but not hired until met

We wrote this summary automatically from the official announcement. The announcement on USAJOBS is the only one that counts: read it before you apply.

Job details

Salary
$89,508 – $116,362 per year
Pay scale and grade
GS-12 · General Schedule
Location
Shreveport, Louisiana
Appointment
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Security clearance
Not Required
Travel
Not required
Drug test
Not required
Supervisory
No
Occupation
Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (0183)
Announcement
CBST-13103284-27-TB

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