Behavioral Health Clinical Consultant (O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory

Summary

The Behavioral Health Clinical Consultant assesses detainee mental health, provides clinical consultation, manages cases, and develops training. Requires a Master's in Social Work or Doctorate in Psychology and relevant licensure. Must be skilled in various therapeutic modalities and able to work in a multidisciplinary, correctional setting. This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

Duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Works in conjunction with ICE/OPLA legal counsel providing written evaluation reports on the mental health status of individuals placed on SMI (Seriously Mental Illness List). Provides weekly reports/updates on individuals on SMI list to the BHU. Provides counseling, psychotherapy, behavioral modification, substance abuse education and treatment, as required and warranted during field visits. Provides clinical consultation to field staff regarding acute mental health treatment to individuals that present with signs/symptoms of suicidal, dangerous, or psychotic behaviors. Possesses a high level of skill in assessing, recognizing, and treating behavioral or other mental health conditions that interfere with successful treatment. Serves as a mental health consultant to other health professionals and ERO. Provides education and training to medical, ICE, and contract staff on mental health topics. Responsible for case management which may involve community treatment placement, hospital placement, or other after care situations. Coordinates and monitors program functions including Post Order Custody Reviews (POCR), The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), segregation and Availability of Health Care Programs. Obtains information to assist the Branch Chief and Division Director in responding to external inquiries regarding ICE Behavioral Health Unit related issues. Develops trainings/education materials for the Branch Chief and/or Division Director, as required. Assist in coordination alongside the BHU for continuity of care for placement in, or treatment of, detainees in appropriate settings as required by the conditions of release outlined by ICE. Utilizes Electronic Medical Record system for completing treatment authorization request, case entry and exit reports. Assists the ERO case manager in the development of detail-oriented research into the availability of healthcare in countries worldwide. Assists the local performance improvement coordinator in the completion of clinical performance improvement activities/risk identification and management directly related to mental health. Follows the supervisory chain of command. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications and evaluation

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.

Education

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Master's Degree in Social Work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Minimum of two years' experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, at the independent level as recognized in the state licensed, whereby clinical supervision is not required. Knowledge of the indications and contraindications, complications and techniques in the various psychiatric treatment and diagnostic modalities. PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology from a graduate program in Psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association. At least, two (2) years of supervised experience in Clinical, Counseling, or Health Psychology. Meet requirements for inclusion in the National Registry of Psychologist Providers if graduated after 1 January 1982. Knowledge of specific functions of Psychology to include but not limited to: Observation, Description, Testing, Evaluation, Interpretation, Diagnosis and Treatment. REQUIRED LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION: A current, permanent, full and unrestricted license to practice clinical social work independently in the state where the duty station is located. Licensed by a State or Territory at the Doctoral level for the independent practice of Psychology. This position requires privileging by IHSC. Maintains BLS for Healthcare Providers® certification through the American Heart Association®. Experience implementing and managing a new mental health treatment program and/or a Modified Therapeutic Community treatment model.(Preferred, not required) Experience in a detention/correctional or residential healthcare setting (preferred, not required). REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Must be familiar with or willing to obtain knowledge of Performance-Based National Detention Standards, National Commission on Correctional Healthcare and American Correctional Association Standards. Knowledge of the case management process commensurate with training and education at the master's level. Knowledge of and experience in the indications and contraindications, complications and techniques in the various social work treatment and diagnostic modalities. Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures. Verbal and written proficiency in English and Spanish. Ability to implement and manage a new, multi-disciplinary mental health treatment unit. Possess a strong understanding of the Modified Therapeutic Community treatment model. Knowledge of a diverse set of group and individual therapeutic modalities (examples include, but are not limited to: art, music, drama, creative-writing, life skills, etc.). Ability to work in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment. Ability to utilize telephonic interpreter/translation services to complete assigned duties if not fluent in a language the patient understands. Ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and flexibility in work requirements. Ability to communicate proficiently in English and Spanish (verbal and written) in order to develop positive rapport with patients, co-workers and other stakeholders. Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships in a multidisciplinary environment. Ability to navigate in an electronic work environment including electronic health records, web-based training and communications. Knowledge of, and moderate proficiency in, common Microsoft Office programs, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and SharePoint. Knowledge of regulations (HIPAA/Privacy Act) regarding the confidentiality of patient medical records and information as well as Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/21/2026. PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position. A complete application includes: U. S. Public Health Service Officers Cover Letter/Letter of Interest. Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED") Professional license. (If applicable) Additional professional certificates. (If applicable) Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information) Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "USPHS Promotion CV") You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience. A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF). *Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal") For IHSC USPHS officers only, a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement. Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement. If you do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of application. New Call to Active Duty Cover letter/Letter of Interest. Please include location preference here. Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED") Professional license. (If applicable) Additional professional certificates. (If applicable) Three professional references (i.e., name, title, and contact information) CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "USPHS Promotion CV") U.S. Public Health Service - Appointment Board Decision Letter/Email or a screenshot of AES dashboard to the United States Public Health Service

Additional information

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Deputy Assistant Director of Clinical Services, Behavioral Health Unit (BHU). The incumbent will report directly to the IHSC Chief of Behavioral Health Unit. This is a non-supervisory position. As the Behavioral Health Clinical Consultant, the incumbent is responsible for assessing and evaluating the mental health of detainees and refer to outside treatment facilities if necessary. Additionally, the Behavioral Health Clinical Consultant collects and reports pertinent mental health data. IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,400 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. The IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to ICE detainees at 23 detention facilities throughout the country and manages the provision of off-site medical care for detainees housed in approximately 240 additional Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. The ICE detainee population is approximately 34,000 detainees on a daily basis, with an average length of stay of approximately 30 days, and over 400,000 detainees annually. The IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground and at sea. DHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: DHS ICE ERO HHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: DHHS USPHS CC SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: The Behavioral Health Clinical Consultant works under the general supervision of the IHSC Deputy Chief Behavioral Health Unit.