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. 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 (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. OR, (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND, 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 (pre1979) 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: 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. 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, 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. 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 the 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. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. 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: 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration. 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. ["***This announcement closes on 09/18/2023 or until 25 applications are received, whichever comes first.*** The psychologist applies professional psychological diagnostic methods and evidence based intervention strategies to a full range of patient problems in his/her work setting. He/she has knowledge of psychological diagnosis, intervention, and behavioral health that qualifies him/her to provide advice and consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines. Major duties include, but are not limited: Works as a part of a multi-disciplinary SUDTP team, providing various assessment, therapy, and rehabilitative services for Veterans with a wide range of mental and behavioral health diagnoses and symptoms with a focus on substance use disorders. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including, but not limited to, comprehensive psychological assessments, psychological testing and interpretation, and use of the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques to provide quality care to a wide range of patient populations, including specific patient populations. Provides assessment and treatment services in a full continuum of clinical settings and modalities to include individual, group, couples/family therapy, video telehealth, telephonic, and face-to-face care formats. Makes use of evidence-based treatments for a full range of patient populations and psychiatric conditions covered in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-V). Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients with the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Participates in treatment team meetings with patients and interdisciplinary staff to recommend and review treatment plans. Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others. Provides consultation and advise to professional staff within their SUDTP team, the Mental Health Service, and SAVAHCS and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings, appropriate treatment plans for patients, and patient care issues. Responsible for timely completion of clinical reminders, consults, return to clinic orders, open encounters, documentation, secure messages, patient correspondence, and other clinical-administrative requirements as required by the MHS, Medical Center or healthcare system, and/or VA. Returns patient phone calls and provides guidance to patients on treatment options in a timely manner. Provides training, guidance, and clinical supervision, as needed, to predoctoral interns, post-doctoral fellows, psychology doctoral practicum students, and other allied health trainees. Supervision includes, but is not limited to, individual, group and live supervision, as well as in-person supervision (e.g., co-leading groups), and video/audio-tape review. Serves as a consultant to staff/trainees and assist in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation and/or research. Assists the program director or coordinator in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers. Actively participates on activities associated with continuous readiness for external surveying authorities to include Office of Inspector General, Joint Commission and CARF, as appropriate. Evaluates and reports to SUDTP and Mental Health Service leadership on program accomplishments to include SAIL data in meeting the VA mission and the attainment of established goals, objectives and performance measures, as appropriate. Coordinates, develops and implements recovery-oriented groups/programs as appropriate to meet the needs of Veterans. Serves on Mental Health Service, SAVAHCS, VISN, or National VA committees as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Arizona Time) work schedule, but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN22HREducationReimbursementTeam@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
