Summary

This position is eligible for 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:

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA psychologist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. §
• 7402
• To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of psychologist in VHA must meet the following: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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 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 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, Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) AND Internships 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• [All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.(1) Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL.](2) Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Physical Requirements
• In accordance with VA Handbook and Handbook 5019
• The physical demands of the work are generally minor
• The work is primarily sedentary and climate controlled
• Fingers required to operate computer
• Lift lifting/carrying (15 lbs
• or less) required to relocate boxed materials, equipment and room set-up
• 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
• Grade Determination: under Education

Duties

• The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Psychologist works within the Behavioral Health Service at VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS)
• may be located at the Medical Center or outpatient clinics
• As a member of the VASNHS Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team and provides outpatient mental health services to Veterans
• The incumbent is responsible for treating Veterans with more chronic mental health concerns
• Providing immediate, direct and on-site access for psychological consultation, assessment, and mental health treatment as clinically indicated
• The incumbent works within a multidisciplinary team matrix, actively collaborates, and coordinates Veteran care with other clinical and administrative supporting services Duties may include but are not limited to: Clinical Clinical services including direct care to Veterans enrolled in BHIP
• Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths
• Uses professional skill, and clinical training, insight and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options, risk factors, acuity and need for services
• Establishes, implements, and maintains referrals and screening procedures
• Assesses at risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan, involving the Veteran and the family/significant other
• Performs insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, and other high risk diagnoses
• Develops comprehensive treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals, objectives and interventions for psychosocial clinical treatment
• Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs
• Consults with other specialists in planning treatment for Veterans with co-morbidities
• Consults with urgent care, medical, and specialty clinics at VASNHS
• Provides individual, family and group therapy services in accordance with the needs identified in the Veteran's treatment assessment and treatment plan
• Ultimately responsible for all entries in the Veteran's medical record and timely completion thereof
• Responsible for completion of all assigned clinical reminders for patients under his/her care, and performance measures assigned to the Care Line
• Participates actively in Performance Improvement activities
• Participates in a variety of meetings as directed by the Chief of Psychology: Staff, committee, AD HOC/work-group committee, task-force, and/or other clinical or administrative activities
• Adheres to HIPPA, privacy regulations and VHA Directives related to release of information
• Administrative Accountable for practice, including Veteran visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards
• Participates fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional psychology standards provided in the organization
• Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi- disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals
• Serves as a consultant, liaison, and point of contact for programs within Behavioral Health services, throughout the hospital, and within the community
• Participates in a variety of meetings as directed by the Chief of Psychology
• in education/CME lectures, research, specialty care programs, and clinics as assigned by the Chief of Psychology
• Participates in local, VISN, and national committees
• Research/Education/Training Participates in research as appropriate through case finding and referral of patients to clinical investigators engaged in research or through participating in research studies
• Applies new approaches to patient care through integration of approved investigative and research methods in clinical practice, basing interventions on evidence of effectiveness
• Provides referring patients, families and significant others for counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention
• Promotes patient independence and achievement of optimal health through appropriate psychosocial education and community referrals
• Responsibility for professional development attends relevant training and regularly reviewing the literature to improve clinical competencies
• Be involved in the Psychology training programs, the training of social work interns, psychiatric residents, medical students, and nursing students, as appropriate
• Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday -Friday Telework: Available (Ad hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #:00747F-00749F-00750F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact susan.bringel@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized