Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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
• Education: 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
• OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: the respecialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and 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 respecialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internship: 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 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 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 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
• Please indicate clearly on your cv/resume or cover letter what your current licensure status is, and if unlicensed where you are in the process of obtaining your license.(e.g., "Passed EPPP 6/2020, CA state exam scheduled 10/15/21") English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: GS-11 Staff Psychologist (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 Staff Psychologist (Developmental Level) Experience: At least 1 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
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
• 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
• GS-13 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance Level) Experience: At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Reference: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18 - Psychologist Qualification Standard, GS-0180, Veteran Health Administration, dated February 7, 2018
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 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: This position requires hearing (aids permitted).

Duties

• Position is assigned to the Mental Health Service Line, providing Access services and functions as part of the Behavioral Health interdisciplinary team
• Access Care is a primary entry point to mental health services, providing walk-in and phone triage, intake, outreach, orientation, post-hospitalization discharge follow-up, and high risk case management services to Veterans who are self- or provider-referred to the Mental Health Service
• Critical triage functions include crisis evaluation and intervention, disposition of patients to the appropriate level of care, and acting as liaison for the inpatient, outpatient, primary care and community agencies involved in the provision of care for the Veteran population
• Duties for the position may include but are not limited to: Works with Veterans, their families and interdisciplinary team members in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment needs related to Veterans that present in crisis with psychiatric disorders, with particular regard to addressing situations related to risk of harm to self, others or grave disability
• Develops individual safety plans
• Reviewing all consults/referrals for Veterans requesting mental health services
• Determines the urgency of the request and Veteran state, arranging for evaluation appointment, ensuring that the consults are responded to in a timely manner
• Independently provides specialized services for complex patients with service delivery to include intake evaluation, DSM-V diagnostic assessments, psychotherapy and patient education
• Best practices, practice guidelines and evidence-based treatment protocols are utilized to the extent feasible in all therapeutic interventions
• Participates in development of a treatment plan for each patient with whom major contact is expected, with measurable goals outlined, based on relevant psychological, medical and psychiatric information and principles of treatment matching
• Attends regularly scheduled treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery
• Ensures timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system as appropriate
• Uses diagnostic knowledge of the patient's need(s) to make referrals to a variety of VA and non-VA resources in support of the treatment objective of the patient
• Collaboration with community, health, welfare, and service agencies
• Completes assigned Performance Improvement activities at the program, service line and medical center level
• May provide clinical supervision to unlicensed staff and psychology trainees, including practicum students, interns, and residents
• Submits statistical information as required
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m.
• Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@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 existing pay, 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) 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: Authorized per agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required