Summary This vacancy is for a GS-0101-12, Family Advocacy Specialist located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, BASE OPERATIONS DIVISION -LOG-3 Honolulu, Hawaii Responsibilities You will serve as a Family Advocacy Specialist and be responsible for and be responsible for providing direct service in the form of counseling individuals, couples, families, and groups on matters pertaining to family dynamics, parent-child interaction, couples communication, stress reduction, adjustment to military lifestyles, Family Advocacy Program (FAP) case management, treatment services and psycho-educational training programs. Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include: Serving as a mental healthcare provider where appropriate to Family Advocacy Program (FAP) and Family in Need of Service (FINS) clients. Ensuring that all aspects of the FAP are completed in each case to include: reporting and intervention, risk assessment, appropriate coordination of safety measures, referrals, follow-ups, safety checks, etc. Visiting units and providing FAP training and awareness of other prevention programs. Providing consultation and assistance to all commands with the AOR regarding FAP cases and related concerns. Identifying FAP-related intervention and prevention needs with the AOR and providing services to meet these needs. Requirements Conditions of Employment All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Key Requirements: Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov A one-year probationary period may be required. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license and safe driving record. Unrestricted state license in mental health counseling at the clinical level Passage of a nationally recognized mental health counseling examination Must have or be able to obtain a passport Time in Grade requirement must be met by the closing date of the vacancy. Qualifications Basic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience or substitution of education for experience or combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements: EDUCATION: 1. Minimum of a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling or allied mental health field such as Social Work or Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Rehabilitative Counseling from an accredited institution.2. An unrestricted state license in mental health counseling at the clinical or highest level available in states that have tiered licensing schemes. Examples: Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. (You must provide a copy of your current license.)3. The passage of one of the following exams: National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination, Clinical Level Association of Social Work Boards Examination for Licensure and Certification, the National Counselor Examination, or passage of another nationally recognized mental health counseling examination. 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. To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Specialized experience must include the following: Providing counseling to individuals, couples, families, and groups on matters pertaining to family dynamics, parent-child interaction, couples communication, stress reduction, adjustment to new lifestyles, domestic violence, and child maltreatment. Developing treatment plans, treatment delivery, and appropriate referral Coordinating activities with others where direct contact with clients is not possible Providing assistance and technical expertise on family maltreatment and related issues Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Education This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail. College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken. Transcripts--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. Additional Information Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Due Weight Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned. E-Verify DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. Fair Chance Act The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to zipporah.c.dukes@uscg.mil. Suitability Statement If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Shared Certificates Statement Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. Special Employment Consideration The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. Recruitment incentives may be authorized. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact zipporah.c.dukes@uscg.mil. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation