Clinical Psychologist

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. United States Citizenship: Non‑citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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: 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). 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. 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. 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. Physical Requirements – See 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 – In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Staff Psychologist – GS‑11 (Entry Level) – Experience: None beyond the basic requirements; Staff Psychologist – GS‑12 (Developmental Level) – Experience: At least one 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 include: 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; Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team. Staff Psychologist – GS‑13 (Full Performance – Level) – Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS‑12 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities include: 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. Duties VA Careers – Psychologist: Total Rewards of an Allied Health Professional Clinical Responsibilities. Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders and behavioral health conditions. Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others. Provides comprehensive evidence‑based psychotherapeutic interventions – including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Provides consultation to professional staff within VAMC and to community providers 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. Functions independently as a member of the VAMC Medical Staff – with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings – patient care decisions and documentation. Administrative Responsibilities – Assists the Service Line Director or Program Director in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team established by the Service Line Director. Assists Service Line Manager, program director, or coordinator in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data‑driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program. Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs to effectively coordinate services. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check‑out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Service Line Director (or designee) and facility Director. Attends regular Mental Health Service Line staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and complies with Mental Health Service peer review procedures. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact: View email address on click.appcast.io – the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. 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: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 534‑57736F. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr