Job Description

Summary This position is located with the Great Plains Area Youth Regional Treatment Center (GPAYRTC).The primary purpose is to support adolescents in managing alcohol and other substances, preparing them for reintegration into their families and communities. Services are provided in collaboration with a clinical team and includes individual, group, and family counseling and educational programming. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021). Responsibilities 09/09/2026: This position is being re-announced to solicit additional candidates. Applicants who previously applied to this announcement need not re-apply unless submitting updated information and/or missing forms. Provide direct patient care substance abuse counseling services in the forms of individual counseling, facilitation of inpatient groups, case management and other direct patient care duties. Provides the care needed to furnish continuing intervention services to patients, but are not limited to, assessment, treatment planning, individual and group therapy for residents and their families, educational presentations, therapeutic interventions, and follow-ups. Utilize substance abuse skills and exercise informed professional judgement in the process of assessing clients, evaluating situations, considering alternative courses of action in relation to their needs and circumstance. Collaborates with the treatment team and/or clinical supervisor, develops clinical/ therapeutic materials, which may include, but are not limited to, group therapy curricula/ agendas, format(s) and content. Requirements Conditions of Employment Selectee may be subject to a probationary period ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Applicant must be available for days, evening and weekend work, and may be subject to "call back" duty in emergency situations. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment. A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service. Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process. Financial Suitability Requirement: This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying. Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. Individual Occupational Requirements: Positions in this series for which other requirements have been established are identified separately. Basic Requirements Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. -OR- Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-07: Applicant must have completed 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement -OR- Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Provides therapy and assistance to individuals and families in dealing with Alcohol and other Drug dependency and related problems. Participates in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings, providing updates to staff about resident behavior to track and ensure residents progress in treatment. GS-09: Applicant must have completed 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree -OR- Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Provides outpatient treatment services and coordinates/monitors inpatient treatment, which involves being aware of a large number of factors regarding the patient, family, and community, and balancing all the needs and resources in a complex interaction. Experience with patients who require treatment to alleviate the disruptive behavior associated with Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse dependency, to resolve related problems, and to establish a life-long recovery process. Combination of Graduate Education and Professional Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. Selective Factor: Applicant must have professional knowledge and proficiency in development of assessments, diagnosis, treatment plans, aftercare plans and case management as evidenced by possession of an active, unrestricted license as a Licensed Addiction Counselor or Licensure equivalency as identified through the International Certification and Reciprocity consortium (IC & RC). The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain any licensure requirements. If licensure are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service. This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Education This position has an education requirement. If you are substituting education for experience; You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: 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 Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. ( Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. You will be required to sign a service agreement. No government housing authorized. This position has promotion potential to the GS-GS-9 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied. You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Your responses are optional and will not be scored. However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

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