Staff Psychologist (PCMHI) - EDRP/Relocation/Recruitment Incentive approved

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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
• For the purpose of meeting this requirement - the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body & 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 & 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
• OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology & 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: Re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program & Specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript &/or certificate documenting completion of re-specialization program - which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship
• Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above & who were employed by the Department of VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• AND Internships 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: Hold a full - current & unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State - Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or 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 two years from 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
• 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
• Board Certification and Loss of Credential Board Certification
• Persons hired to psychology positions in VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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
• Board certificate must be current & applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education
• Loss of Credential
• Once board certified - psychologist must maintain a full - valid & unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment
• A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation - which may result in termination of employment
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive & Handbook 5019
• English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken & 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 & meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations:GS-11 Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Qualification Information Continued Below - Education Information

Duties

• This vacancy will remain open until filled
• The first cut-off date is 04/14/2026
• Additional applications will be referred as needed
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Psychologists diagnose mental disorders - conduct psychological or neuropsychological screening assessments - treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities - and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders
• Among the modalities provided are individual - family - and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions
• Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation - teaching - training - and research activities
• The staff psychologist applies advanced professional psychological diagnostic methods and evidence- based intervention strategies to a full range of patient problems in his/her work setting
• Has advanced knowledge of psychological diagnosis - intervention - and behavioral health as it impacts and is impacted by health related conditions that qualifies him/her to provide advice and consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines
• Participates as a member of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) providing a full range of psychological services to veterans with physical and mental health problems
• Works collaboratively interprofessionally on a multidisciplinary PACT treatment team
• Provides brief evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy to veterans with mental health problems and/or comorbid medical conditions
• Examples of evidence-based interventions include: motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy
• Direct patient care service are typically evidenced-based (i.e. - motivational interviewing - cognitive behavioral therapy including behavioral activation - interpersonal therapy - and problem-solving therapy) and relatively brief in duration
• Contributes to the gathering of intake assessment information and the development of a brief treatment plan for veterans
• Provides couples and/or family psychotherapy promoting healthy adaptation
• Administers/scores or evaluates psychodiagnostic tests - including neurocognitive screening as appropriate
• Participates as a member of medical center hospital committees as directed
• Serves as an advisor - consultant and/or resource person to the staff within the medical center
• Maintains appropriate records and follow-up data on patients who are their responsibility
• Serves as a member of the planning group for evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment program and modifying it to better serve the needs of the patient
• 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 - completing encounters - and signing or co-signing notes)
• Provides clinical instruction for psychology interns or other psychology trainees as assigned
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 0730-1600 or 0800-1630 Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a Highly Qualified Individual
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a Highly Qualified Individual
• 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.