Staff Psychologist

Summary This position is located in the Mental Health Service – with joint assignment to Outpatient Mental Health and the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program. The VA HBPC 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. Qualifications Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen Non‑citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy Education: Must have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program 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 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. (b) 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. 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. (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. (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. (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.) (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. 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. Grade Requirements: GS‑13 – 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 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. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary – may require walking, bending, standing, and/or carrying of light items such as files and manuals. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability. Duties The Psychologist will be an independently licensed provider with knowledge of behavioral medicine and the implementation and coordination of mental health care in a Home Based Primary Care setting. Primary duties include psychological assessments, psychosocial assessment, diagnostic evaluations, crisis interventions, brief psychotherapy, and care management services. Incumbent has full professional responsibility for determining patients’ needs for psychological evaluations – specialized evaluation procedures – diagnostic procedures – individualized, group, and specialized proficiencies and techniques. Incumbent personally performs or refers, when appropriate, clients to individual and group psychotherapy. Having determined the need for psychological intervention, incumbent provides the indicated therapeutic, diagnostic, or evaluative intervention unless such an intervention requires specialized professional expertise for which the incumbent is not privileged to practice in this Medical Center. In such instances, the incumbent will refer such clients to another psychologist or therapist who is so privileged. The incumbent integrates his/her efforts with those of other professional and administrative personnel who may comprise a multidisciplinary treatment team – maintaining the goal to reciprocally enhance the applied skill of every participating member toward the best available treatment planning for each veteran. Psychological Assessment (15%): The incumbent utilizes psychological measures for which s/he has basic competence; responds to requests or consults regarding the need for psychological testing; provides appropriate diagnostic assessment to answer the referral question; uses a broad range of psychological measures to assess cognitive, emotional, personality, and behavioral conditions; documents assessments adequately and retains all “raw data” in accordance with VA regulations and MHS policy. Professional Participation (5%): The incumbent integrates his/her efforts with those of other professional and administrative personnel who may comprise a multidisciplinary treatment team; provides technical and administrative counseling to other mental health staff members and to student trainees in the areas of therapy, diagnostics, and research; may serve as a mental health consultant or resource person to other Medical Center Services. Other duties as assigned. 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 Authorization: Eligible for Education Debt Reduction Program – up to $200 000; eligibility period 1‑5 years; former participants ineligible. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases; higher step rate possible if higher qualifications or special needs. Paid Time Off: 37‑50 days annual paid time off per year (13‑26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays). 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 paid parental leave in connection with 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 child‑care 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 401(k) with up to 5% 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 as determined by agency policy and supervisor; Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10036F. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) – Not authorized. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO) – Not authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr