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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS)
Statement of Work

Background: The Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Vet Center Program consists of community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active-duty service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. Readjustment counseling is offered to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military. Individual, group, marriage and family counseling is offered in addition to referral and connection to other VA or community benefits and services.
Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling) were established by Congress in 1979 out of the recognition that a significant number of Vietnam era Vets were still experiencing readjustment problems. Vet Centers are community based and part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In April 1991, in response to the Persian Gulf War, Congress extended the eligibility to Veterans who served during other periods of armed hostilities after the Vietnam era. Those other periods are identified as Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, and Kosovo/Bosnia.
In October 1996, Congress extended the eligibility to include WWII and Korean Combat Veterans. The goal of Vet Centers is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to eligible Veterans in order to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life. On April 1, 2003, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs extended eligibility for Vet Center services to Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and on June 25, 2003, Vet Center eligibility was extended to Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and subsequent operations within the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).
The RCS Central Office continues the long tradition of RCS support to Veterans and family members in our communities across the USA. In the execution of this mission, it is critical that Vet Center staff receive regular clinical training in order to maintain and improve their skills and knowledge base in the area of mental health counseling and evidence-based techniques.
Scope: Provide 3 cohorts of Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level I and Level II training consisting of 5 days of training, 4 manuals each for 50 participants in each cohort and 1 plenary session with Dr. John and Julie Gottman. Course will be delivered virtually. Contractor is responsible for providing trainers, all required course content (handouts, manuals, etc.) and documentation of course completion for each completing participant to include Continuing Education Units (CEUs) consistent with hours of instruction.
Purpose: The purpose of Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level I and Level II Training is to provide an interactive learning experience where counselors will be trained in the theory, knowledge and skills required to practice Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level I and Level II.
The Gottman Method is an approach to couples therapy that includes a thorough assessment of the couple s relationship and integrates research-based interventions based on the Sound Relationship House Theory. The goals of Gottman Method Couples Therapy are to disarm conflicting verbal communication; increase intimacy, respect, and affection; remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy; and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship. The practical, emotion-focused, and highly effective approach is based on Drs. John and Julie Gottman s four decades of research with more than 3,000 couples. It is the most extensive study ever done on marital stability and divorce prediction. The Gottman Method is designed to support couples across all economic, racial, sexual orientation, and cultural sectors. Even couples with normal levels of conflict may benefit from the Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Gottman-trained therapists aim to help couples build stronger relationships overall and healthier ways to cope with issues as they arise in the future.
Completion of this training will improve the clinical competency of selected Readjustment Counselors within the RCS Organization, Vet Center Program resulting in trauma informed, evidence-based quality care for Veterans, service members and their families.
Period of Performance: Training must start before 06/15/2023 and end before 06/14/24.
Tasks/Delivery Schedule: Dates Counselors are available:
Coordinate available instruction dates with Counselors/Clinicians.

Gottman Therapy Level I -
PART 1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES CONTENT INCLUDES:
Summarize the research that allows us to predict future relationship stability
Describe the seven levels of the Sound Relationship House theory
Conduct a couple s therapy assessment using elements of the couple s narrative, the Oral History Interview, written questionnaires, observations of conflict and individual interviews
Describe two interventions to help strengthen a couple s conflict management
Describe two interventions to enhance a couple s friendship system
Describe two interventions to explore a couple s system of shared meaning
Explain why physiological self-soothing is essential for a healthy relationship
Create a therapeutic contract with a couple, discuss and decide on goals and include a summary of the couples strengths and areas that need improvement
Describe the Philosophy of Therapy and including assumptions, overview of techniques and goals of therapy
Describe the Rapoport Intervention and when to use it
Describe the process of therapy, including the structure of a session Identify 3 components of the EMDR approach designed to provide effective treatment with clients
Gottman Therapy Level II -
Explain the basics of observation including why it s important to recognize Emotions on the Human Face, Tension in the Voice, the Importance of Words and the use of the SPAFF coding system
Describe the seven levels of the Sound Relationship House theory
Describe how to recognize Bids and Turning Towards
Explain the components of the first three Assessment sessions
Explain and demonstrate how to conduct an Oral History Interview
Explain and demonstrate how to conduct a Feedback Session, including how to formulate a Treatment Plan and how to present it to the couple using the Sound Relationship House model
Describe the use of the core assessments with couples, including the Locke-Wallace, Weiss-Cerretto, Gottman Sounds Relationship House Questionnaires, Gottman 19 Areas Checklist, EAQ, SCL-90, Detour Scales, CAGE, and b-MAST
Explain and demonstrate the rules for Gentle Start Up
Develop interventions that couples can use as antidotes to the Four Horsemen
Prepare couples to physiologically soothe when flooded
Select and implement interventions to help deal with conflict
Apply different modes of changing the Attack/Defend System in a couples interaction
Assist couples to establish dialogue about their gridlocked conflicts
Instruct couples on how to work towards compromise on perpetual problems using the Two Oval method
Describe the five steps of processing a fight or a regrettable incident using the Aftermath of A Fight intervention
Use and describe the Stress-Reducing Conversation to minimize relapse
Select and implement interventions to help couples deepen their Friendship System by working on Fondness and Admiration
Select and implement interventions to help couples Build Shared Meaning with Rituals of Connection Identify and formulate a plan for different co-morbidities common to couples using Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Assessment and Intervention
Describe how to apply Gottman Method Couples Therapy to a couple who has experienced an affair
Describe when it is appropriate and inappropriate to use Gottman Method Couples Therapy with a couple dealing with substance abuse
Describe how to apply Gottman Method Couples Therapy to a couple experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Describe the differences between situational and characterological domestic violence and when it is appropriate and inappropriate to use Gottman Method Couples Therapy with a couple dealing with domestic violence
Plenary Session Required:TBD
Proof of Completion: Documentation of course completion to include CEUs will be provided to each completing participant.
Trainers must be a Gottman Institute Approved Training Provider
CEU requirement from the following institutions:
ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORK BOARD (ASWB) AND NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, STATE BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK (NYSED) REQUIREMENTS
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) AND NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, STATE BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY (NYSED-P) REQUIREMENTS
NATIONAL BOARD FOR CERTIFIED COUNSELORS (NBCC) REQUIREMENTS
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY

Contractor will outline training schedule for instruction and consultation. Training to be completed no later than September 30, 2023. Contractor will work with RCS to establish dates of training.

Location: Virtual
Contractor Personnel Security Requirements: No Contractor/Subcontractor employees shall be permitted access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems at any time.
Government Responsibilities
RCS Office of Policy and Oversight will provide the list of students to contractor in advance of the first training.
RCS District leadership will ensure student schedules are clear so that they may focus on each iteration training.

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