Staff Psychologist

Psychologist Position

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

The psychologist is responsible for their clinical assessment findings, Veteran care decisions, and documentation, ensuring adherence to all documentation procedures, including timely entries and proper Veteran check-out processes. They are fully accountable for their practice, which includes recording visit details, measuring intervention outcomes, and meeting productivity standards. The psychologist promotes the highest standards of professional and ethical practice across the interdisciplinary team and actively participates in administrative and informational meetings, including those of the Psychology Service, Mental Health, and Medical Staff, as well as relevant program-specific meetings.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provide a full range of psychological assessment services, ensuring the timely and accurate completion of assessments that demonstrate interpersonal competence and accuracy in rendering mental health diagnoses.
• Deliver comprehensive, evidence-based therapeutic interventions through both in-person and telehealth services.
• Provide therapeutic services through individual therapy, couples/family therapy, and psychoeducational groups.
• Develop treatment plans and set achievable treatment goals in collaboration with the patient. The treatment plan will be completed no later than the end of the patient's third visit for mental health services and updated as required by the Mental Health Integrated Care Community (MH ICC), or more frequently if there is a change in the patient's condition or needs.
• Evaluate service delivery and outcomes by consistently using measurement-based care to guide interventions and treatment.
• Conduct crisis screening and assessment, developing crisis management plans for the appropriate level of care.
• Provide consultation to professional staff within the Fargo VA Healthcare System and to community providers regarding patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as the delivery of care.
• Offer formal or informal supervision and/or training for psychology trainees, including students, interns, and residents.
• Ensure that the practice of psychology is consistent with the professional practice standards and ethics of the American Psychological Association and with the established policies and procedures of the Psychology Service, Fargo VA, State Licensing Board, and the Veterans Health Administration.

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit our 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 review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

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. Learn more

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

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)

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: Ad-hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized