Psychologist - Home Based Primary Care

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:

• 1
• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3.g - this part.) 2
• 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
• 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 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 AND 3
• 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 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 1-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 1-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program
• NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard
• 4
• Licensure: Holds 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 2 years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed
• Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment
• (A Memo of Understanding (MOU) is required for this exception to be approved) 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
• Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• 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: Creditable Experience: 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
• Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding professional psychology experience at the next lower level
• Part-time Experience: Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full- time workweek
• For example - a psychologist employed 20 hours per week - or on a half time basis - would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service
• Post-Doctoral Degree Fellowships: Postdoctoral fellowships or residencies are training programs in an advanced area of clinical practice
• Training as a fellow or resident is creditable experience on a year-for-year basis
• GS-11 (Entry Level): Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 (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 AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of 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 (Full Performance Level): Experience: At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least 1 year equivalent to the GS-12 level AND 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
• Additional Requirements: Valid Drivers License Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit 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.

Duties

• VA Careers - Psychologist: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties: The Home Based Primary Care Psychologist position is located under the Mental Health ICC - with primary assignment to the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program
• The VA Home-Based Primary Care program provides comprehensive - interdisciplinary primary care services in the homes of veterans with complex and chronic - disabling disease
• In addition to primary care interventions - HBPC provides palliative care - rehabilitation - disease management - and care coordination services
• HBPC targets veterans in advanced stages of chronic disease - particularly those at high risk of recurrent hospitalization - or nursing home placement
• At the full performance (GS-13) level - duties include - but are not limited to: Providing screening - assessment - diagnosis - and treatment of mental health disorders - with an emphasis on the application of time-limited - evidence-based approaches Assessing and providing treatments for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety - adjustment difficulties - & excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs Providing services to the families of veterans with cognitive decline who are being served by HBPC when such care is directly related to the overall treatment plan for the veteran and will allow the family to sustain the veteran in the home environment Assessing for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions - or to determine if a referral for other services (e.g. - neuropsychological evaluation - neurology) is warranted Performing capacity assessments when there are questions about a patient's ability to make medical decisions - perform other specific functions - or live independently Providing individual interventions to support patients who are coping with feelings of grief and loss associated with disability and other life transitions Providing psychoeducational and supportive interventions - in conjunction with the veteran - to family members/caregivers Providing behavioral medicine interventions to manage pain - disability - address sleep problems - facilitate weight loss - promote smoking cessation - and enhance medical compliance Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System - VISN - and/or National VA committees or task forces - as endorsed by supervisors Participates in educational and peer activities - in accord with Psychology and medical center policies
• Participates as a non-voting member of the medical staff - in accord with medical staff by-laws Participates in support of MH ICC and Psychology administrative and performance improvement activities Completes required clinical and administrative documentation in a timely manner and in accord with governing regulations Supervise psychology predoctoral interns - practicum students - and/or post-doctoral fellows Provides staff and trainee didactic education and consultation as requested in content areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise May supervise or train allied health providers in accord with facility and regulatory standards regarding such training Participates fully in educational development through staff and section meetings Assumes responsibility for professional development by attending relevant training and regularly reviewing the literature to improve clinical competencies Work Schedule: Full Time - Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact View email address on careers.biausa.org - 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: Available ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Functional Statement#: 13679-F

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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