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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. 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. Basic Requirements A. Citizenship- Be a citizen of the United States. B. 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). OR (2) 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; and (b) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. NOTE: Applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have met the educational requirements of these qualification standards. OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND (4) 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. (NOTE: 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. 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. C. 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. Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j a. Creditable Experience(1) Current Professional Psychology Practice. To be creditable, psychological work experience can be obtained through paid or non-paid employment providing psychological work or through participating in a supervised postdoctoral psychology training program (i.e., fellowship or residency). Psychological work experience must have occurred after the doctoral degree was obtained and must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional psychology practice. "Professional psychology practice" includes but is not limited to the following psychology-oriented job duties: providing professional clinical services, conducting research, carrying out education and training activities, carrying out program evaluation activities, clinical consultation, supervision and administration. (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) 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 considered to be creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Grade Determinations: Psychology Program Manager, GS-14 Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18 The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14. ["Clinical Responsibilities- Diagnose and treat mental disorders, particularly PTSD, and conduct psychological and/or cognitive function assessments and neuropsychological screenings.- Provide a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care.- Performs evaluations for psycho-diagnosis, treatment planning and functional evaluations, particularly for PTSD- Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including individual and group psychotherapy, family therapy, consultation, rehabilitation and psychoeducation. Administrative Responsibilities- Assigned supervisory responsibility by the Chief of Psychology for subordinates and assists the Chief of Psychology in responsibility for professional, management, and administrative aspects of Psychology Service within Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Services.- Assists the Chief of Psychology in management and administration of Psychology budget and resources. Assists the Chief of Psychology in supporting and directing Psychology staff to provide comprehensive services to Veterans in coordination with ACOS for MH.- Assists the Chief of Psychology in recruitment and selection, competency evaluations, performance appraisals, setting workload and documentation goals and guidelines, clinical assignments, supervision, scope of care and privileging, and supervisory disciplinary issues.- Develop and implement policies, procedures, and program guidelines for all PTSD programs at VA Hudson Valley Health Care System- Coordinate administrative and programmatic resources for all PTSD programs at the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System- Monitor outcomes of Veterans utilizing PTSD programs using data-driven quality assurance processes- Administratively participate in all application reviews, applicant interviews and recommendations for the hiring of new employees in the program. Assistant Chief Assigned supervisory responsibility by the Chief of Psychology for subordinates (psychologists, psychology/mental health technicians, clerical staff, and trainees) and assists the Chief of Psychology in responsibility for professional, management, and administrative aspects of Psychology Service within Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Services. This includes credentialing, monitoring of productivity and utilization data, approval of leave, ensuring coverage of clinical services, personnel actions, performance appraisal standards and evaluations, clinical assignments, management of psychological clinical programs and services, etc. Assigned direct supervision of clinical and clerical staff in Psychology by the Chief of Psychology, including clinical assignments, and administration of all psychological clinical services and programs. Assists the Chief of Psychology in management and administration of Psychology budget and resources. Assists the Chief of Psychology in supporting and directing Psychology staff to provide comprehensive services to Veterans in coordination with ACOS for MH.- Assists the Chief of Psychology in recruitment and selection, competency evaluations, performance appraisals, setting workload and documentation goals and guidelines, clinical assignments, supervision, scope of care and privileging, and supervisory disciplinary issues.- Monitor outcomes of Veterans utilizing Psychology programs using data-driven quality assurance processes- Support Psychology Services efforts to support employee development, training, education, satisfaction, and self-care.- Administratively participate in all application reviews, applicant interviews and recommendations for the hiring of new employees in psychology. Academic/Teaching/Training- Provides clinical supervision to psychology trainees, psychology technicians and unlicensed psychologists.- Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned.- Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assist in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their parents. Research/Program Evaluation- Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance process.- Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.- If applicable, plans and oversees the completion of personal research programs, designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches.- Assists in preparation of RFP's and grant proposals, as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday Functional Statement #: 13608-O Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Relocation/Recruitment incentive: Authorized"]

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