Staff Psychologist

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.

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 and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 7403(f).

Education : The VHA Psychologist must meet one of the following education requirements : 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, 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 : The re-specialization 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, OR have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.

• Internship : In addition, the VHA Psychologist must also meet one of these criteria regarding their 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 : Applicants must 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 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 : 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs : 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs : 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position / grade level).

Please see education section below for preferred criteria, references, and physical requirements of this position.* " Psychologist : This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2024 or until all positions are filled.

The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be February 16th 2024, with subsequent cut-off dates of every Sunday until all positions are filled.

Current, permanent VA employees, Federal employees from another agency or Health Profession Trainees, you should apply under : CBST-12296765-24-AC Duties include, but are not limited to : Clinical Responsibilities (up to 100% time) : Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and the diagnoses of mental disorders, particularly in complex or unusually difficult cases.

Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy.

Fully participates as a CBOC Mental Health Service team member, assuming a collaborative role with Veterans and other team members in developing and implementing recovery-oriented treatment plans and functioning on the team as a consultant, mentor, leader, or other roles as appropriate to promote the team mission.

Provides consultation to professional staff within the Mental Health Service and the larger medical center, as well as to community providers when appropriate, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients.

Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of Clinical Reminders.

Administrative responsibilities : Assists the Associate Chief of Staff, Mental Health Service and Lead Psychologist with the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers.

Adheres to operational policies and procedures for Mental Health Service and the VA Medical Center. Assists the ACOS of Mental Health Service and Lead Psychologist with ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of mental health programs.

Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs within the Medical Center and at other VA Medical Centers to effectively coordinate services.

Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of Clinical Reminders in the Computerized Patient Record System for all patients.

Functional Statement - General Mental Health (116A) 3 Other : Collects required data for quarterly and yearly reports as requested Other : Participates on the Psychology Training Committee, if appointed (List academic faculty appointment and rank, research projects / roles / responsibility, etc.

if these are a part of your job) Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (, entering diagnostic, procedure, and Service Connection / Special Authority codes).

Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Lead Psychologist, the ACOS, Mental Health Service, the VHSO Chief of Staff, and the Medical Center Director.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8 : 00am - 4 : 30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus) : Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance) : Not Authorized EDRP Authorized : Contact , 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) 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 $ 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 : Available Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 564-00213-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report : Not required"