This position is location with the Substance Use Disorder Program at the VA Medical Center in Fresno, CA. The Addiction Therapist treats assigned patients suffering from substance abuse and other addictive disorders. This treatment of addictive disorders includes attending to the psychological, behavioral and spiritual aspects of the disorder(s), and assisting patients to begin to rebuild their lives. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. All applicants must meet one of the following BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Completion of a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in behavioral or social science, or related disciplines appropriate to this position. ~OR~ Appropriate combination of education and experience that provided knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of an addiction therapist, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. ~OR~ At least four (4) years of appropriate experience that demonstrates acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. NOTE: When applying for positions with a Basic Education Requirement you MUST provide transcript(s) at the time of application that state a degree was conferred in the appropriate field. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, display copies of degrees or course listings are not adequate and do not provide the information needed to verify that you have the basic education requirement. ~AND~ In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position at the GS- 9 level you must also meet one of the following: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service) that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an Addiction Therapist, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience is experience providing substance abuse/addiction therapy to a wide variety of patients; screening patients to identify the existence of substance abuse; devising treatment plans with multidisciplinary team members; providing group and individual counseling; and administering specialized/diversified treatments for patients with substance abuse problems. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in a field related to the work of an Addiction Therapist. This education must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of an Addiction Therapist. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of related graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above. This education and experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of an Addiction Therapist. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Clinical Data Collection/DocumentationCommunicationInterventionPsychological AssessmentTeam BuildingTherapy and Counseling IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such 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; religious; 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. ["***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major Duties and Responsibilities: Provides substance abuse evaluations and recommendations for Veterans participating in the program Conducts therapeutic short-term in-depth counseling Provides crisis intervention in emergency situations Conducts group, family, and individual counseling sessions Observes client behaviors and reaction patterns for use in reviewing and modifying treatment and/or follow-up plans Conducts group classes to support patient recovery, such as, Dual Diagnosis, Anger Management, AA, NA, 12-step facilitation, etc. Facilitates or co-facilitates counseling for problems that surround the inappropriate use/misuse of substances Helps clients recognize the nature of their addictive problem and remain focused on their treatment goals and objectives Helps clients understand and work with the treatment plan by identifying successes and problems in achieving established treatment goals Makes and implements adjustments in the treatment plan in conjunction with the input from the multidisciplinary team Serves as a treatment case manager for an assigned group of patients in relation to the psychosocial rehabilitation component of treatment Develops comprehensive treatment plans for rehabilitation of veterans suffering from substance use disorders Performs other related duties as assigned DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm\nRecruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not Required"]