CAREER CENTER

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.) b. Education (1) Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology). OR (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: (a)The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, (b)The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internships (a) Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR (b) New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern; OR (c) VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR (d) Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification.) OR (e) Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program. Licensure. Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Exception. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 [(c)(2)(B)] for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. . Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level) Experience. At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 5. Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration. Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full Performance, Level) Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. Preferred Experience: Familiarity with Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs; Experience in working with PTSD, Substance Use Disorders, Co-occurring mental health disorders, and Serious Mental Illness: Able to work within an interdisciplinary team (medical providers, Psychiatrists, nursing staff, case managers). Specialty Training in Evidence Based Psychotherapies. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18 The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13 Physical Requirements: See Addition Information below: ["- Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses as a result of a complete assessment, utilizing appropriate assessment tools, within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. - Provides individual, group and family psychotherapy interventions used in the treatment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, serious mental health disorders, and comorbid mental health needs - Measurement Based Care for measuring effectiveness of clinical practice and services in specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. - Ability to design changes based on empirical findings as well as to provide a flexible work schedule to accommodate emergency or urgent care matters. - Interviews veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health as part of a psychosocial assessment. - Uses subjective and objective data in making clinical assessment of the veteran's needs. - Serve veterans as outpatients who often have severe crises, lack family or community supports, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. - Independently evaluates the client's situation, including the veteran's reaction and ability to deal with it, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion. - Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving the veteran and family or significant others. - Assesses serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, and other high-risk diagnoses. - Finds a suitable means of treatment to help veterans and/or significant others cope with stressful situations. - Develops treatment plans in coordination with BHIP Team Members, including goals for treatment. - Provides quality therapy by utilizing Evidence Based Psychotherapies in the treatment of veterans served. - Independently concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran. - Responsible for clinical practice in the areas and programs to which assigned, including services that are a key component of treatment. - Community and family liaison by initiating and maintaining necessary contact with the patient, his/her family, VA Healthcare System service programs and personnel, mental health agencies, and other related resource agencies. - Provides support and consultation to these varying individuals, programs, and agencies as necessary or in the best interest of the patient, following VA rules and regulations regarding confidentiality and the interchange of information. - Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate/approved formats and templates. - Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. - Attends all appropriate meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, staff meetings, departmental/section staff meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) - Collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the appropriate program offices and local policies. - Coverage responsibilities in the absence of other clinicians to ensure timely access and coordination of care. - Completes the continuing education hours need for maintaining Professional Licensure. - Demonstrates professional behavior that conforms to VA regulations and policy, State and Federal laws, and ethical codes of appropriate professional accrediting organizations. - May provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including trainees seeking licensure. - Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned. - Consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate - Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas. - Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Ad-Hoc available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 54720-O, 54721-O, 54722-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Linda.Orchard@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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