Summary

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. Program 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.

Qualifications

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken & written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: 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 & 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 - & school psychology
• OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology & - 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• & - the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program - which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• & Internships: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• OR 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 & the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern
• OR 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 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 Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 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 - & 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 GS12 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 4 only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed
• Board Certification: Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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
• Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist - GS-11: None beyond the basic requirements
• Staff Psychologist - GS-12: 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 - & Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of & ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• Ability to design & implement effective treatment strategies
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing & implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
• Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship & research execution within the context of an established research team - including research participant relations - research documentation - data acquisition - maintenance - & collaboration
• Staff Psychologist - GS-13: 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 - & Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of - & ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Ability to provide professional advice & consultation in areas related to professional psychology & behavioral health
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Preferred Experience: Licensed psychologist
• Experience providing mental health treatment within a primary care setting
• Experience with risk evaluation and brief interventions
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 11 to 13
• Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor - as the position requires sitting - standing - and walking
• Some travel between clinic sites could be required if cross-coverage needs arise
• The emotional demands can be stressful in working with high-risk for suicide veteran population and their families
• A high level of self-awareness is essential
• Work - divided between office and clinical settings - is primarily sedentary
• May require prolonged standing - moderate walking - and manual dexterity
• Requires carrying light items - such as books - files - or laptop computer.

Duties

• This position serves as a psychologist in Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)
• In this role - the incumbent provides short-term - evidence-based assessment and intervention with various mental and behavioral health conditions within the primary care setting
• VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include - but are not limited to: Clinical Responsibilities: Performs evaluations for patient conditions such as depression - anxiety - substance abuse and general emotional and cognitive functioning
• The assessment and care provided accommodate the cognitive - emotional - chronological maturation - and diversity needs of the person served
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions with a strong emphasis on evidence-based models of care
• Conducts assessment appropriate to individual patients with attention to the implications of test results for veteran's every day - real-world function and successful treatment/management of mental health problems and other health conditions such as insomnia - diabetes - hypertension - and chronic pain
• Provides brief - structured evidence-based psychotherapy and counseling
• Consults to ambulatory care staff and primary care providers on a wide variety of patient care issues pertinent to medical treatment and psychosocial recovery
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions for patients - assesses adjustment to illness/injury - understands the contribution of medical conditions to current emotional functioning and vice versa
• provides recommendations to primary care providers
• develops treatment plans and recommendations - coordinates referral to other Mental Health Programs when indicated - assists Veterans in achieving goals of psychosocial rehabilitation
• Consults with other medical center staff on patient care issues pertinent to medical treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation
• Assumes responsibility for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation
• Academic/Teaching/Training: When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - provides clinical supervision to pre-doctoral practicum students in clinical/counseling psychology - pre-doctoral psychology interns - and post-doctoral psychology fellows
• When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - supports activities of Psychology Training Program and participates in relevant educational seminars
• When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - participates in improvement of clinical supervision skills
• When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - provides training and guidance to other behavioral health staff in primary care setting
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Supervisory discretion Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 54752-A - 54753-A - 54754-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized