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. 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 as a psychologist in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. 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, 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. [Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards.] [OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.] AND (4) 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. c. 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 Loss of Credential. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. Board Certification and Loss of Credential (1) 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. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education. (2) Loss of Credential. Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Preferred Experience: Experience with empirically-based treatment for substance use disorders and common comorbidities including PTSD. Interest/experience in supervision and training, Experience with research and/or program evaluation and quality improvement activities. GRADE REQUIREMENTS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. (1) Current Professional Psychology Practice. To be creditable, psychological work experience can be obtained through paid or non-paid employment providing psychological work or through participating in a supervised postdoctoral psychology training program (i.e., fellowship or residency). Psychological work experience must have occurred after the doctoral degree was obtained and must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional psychology practice. "Professional psychology practice" includes but is not limited to the following psychology-oriented job duties: providing professional clinical services, conducting research, carrying out education and training activities, carrying out program evaluation activities, clinical consultation, supervision and administration. (2) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties to be performed. ["The Staff Psychologist position is a full-time position supporting the Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program (ADTP) administered by the Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) and located on the grounds of the VA Boston Healthcare System (VABHS), Brockton Division. The psychologist provides direct care services including consultation, diagnostic assessment, evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy for substance use disorders and common psychiatric comorbidities, risk assessment, and treatment planning in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team. The psychologist may also be involved in training psychology trainees, teaching, medical center committees, and program evaluation or research, as applicable. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES Direct Service Provision. Provides a full range of therapeutic services and interventions, including psychiatric assessments and evidence-based individual, and group psychotherapy for substance use disorders and psychiatric co-morbidities. Attends ADTP treatment team meetings and serves as a consultant to other treatment providers. Completes mental health intakes and makes appropriate treatment recommendations based on these interviews. Provides clinical supervision and training to psychology, psychiatry, and social work trainees. Contributes to other clinical service activities in the medical center (e.g., urgent care, police evaluations, compensation and pension evaluations), as requested. f. a. Completes administrative functions, including report and progress note writing, and attending staff and organizational meetings. Keeps informed regarding treatment and outcome research development in the areas of Substance use disorders , mental health, and related fields, and assists in the implementation or modification of existing treatments based on developments in these areas of practice. Works in compliance with local and national performance measures. Responds to clinic consults, coordinates patient care, and assists with tracking clinic data. Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by local and national guidelines, timely compliance with all safety/fire prevention guidelines and trainings, completion of other VA-mandated trainings, renewing clinical privileges on schedule, and completing peer reviews, per Psychology Service guidelines. Provides clinical services in an ethical manner, consistent with American Psychological Association and VA Boston Healthcare System ethical guidelines.. ENRICHING ELEMENTS Academic/Teaching/Training May pursue a faculty appointment at Boston University or Harvard University Schools of Medicine. Provides direct education to psychology interns or fellows and psychiatry residents through clinical forums and seminars. Provides supervision of direct clinical care offered by trainees Attends training meetings regarding psychology training in Brockton. Serves as a consultant to other medical and mental health staff and trainees on issues related to addiction. B. Program Evaluation Contributes to the development of innovative clinical services to better meet the needs of veterans within ADTP. Assists program managers to assess the efficacy of programming and adjusts programming as necessary to enhance clinical care and outcomes. Assists with the preparation and analysis of program outcome data to form appropriate questions for quality improvement projects. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-430pm Telework: Available Functional Statement #: F001, F002, F003 EDRP Authorized: Contact Karen.Chapman@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance"]

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