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This position is a member of the Suicide Prevention Team which assesses and identifies Veterans considered high risk for suicide; coordinates appropriate care, and collaborates with various mental health providers, Veterans, families, and community agencies regarding treatment options and appropriate suicide safety plans. 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. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education Requirement - You must 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. OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a respecialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the respecialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and b) the specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship Requirement - You must 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). NOTE: 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: Candidates must 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. Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement GS-12 Level: at least 1 full year f experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level, and are able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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. GS-13 Level: at least 2 additional years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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. *Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed. Preferred Experience: Clinical experience in psychology. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13. ["These positions can be filled by a Clinical Psychologist - Suicide Prevention, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC), or Senior Social Worker - Suicide Prevention Care Manager. The following is a list of the open announcements for this position: Clinical Psychologist - CBSS-11860550-23-CMJ Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC) - CBSS-11860551-23-CMJ Senior Social Worker - CBSS-11860552-23-CMJ The Suicide Prevention Coordinator is assigned to provide the full range of psychological services at the Eastern Kansas Health Care System (EKHCS) Topeka, Kansas location. This includes psychological assessment, evidence based individual and/or group psychotherapy (where applicable), psychoeducational intervention, community outreach and team consultation in the clinical management of Veteran/patient care. Major duties include: - Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients. - Providing comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, group, and family psychotherapy. - Developing, implementing, and documenting psychotherapeutic treatment plans for patients who require such treatment. - Evaluating suicide risk and protective factors. - Identifying veterans at High Risk for Suicide and placing, reviewing, and inactivating Category I Patient Record Flags - High Risk for Suicide .- Tracking/coordinating care for veterans flagged as High Risk for Suicide. Tracking and reporting data related to treatment for veterans flagged as High Risk for Suicide, suicide attempts, preparatory behaviors, and deaths by suicide. - Contacting family members of veterans who die by suicide. - Engaging in suicide risk crisis intervention.- Responding to consults placed by Veterans Crisis Line responders. - Providing education to staff about suicide risk and protective factors, suicide risk screening and comprehensive suicide risk evaluation, gatekeeper training, safety planning, suicide behavior reporting, and general suicide prevention information. - Providing education about suicide risk and protective factors to patients, family members, and significant others. - Providing gatekeeper training to veterans in residential treatment programs. - Consulting with staff in all parts of the hospital regarding identifying and treatment planning for high risk or potentially high risk veterans. - Interacting with community partners, such as law enforcement or community hospitals to identify and ensure timely follow-up treatment for high risk veterans. - Conducting community outreach and education regarding suicide risk and protective factors, gatekeeper training, and awareness of the Veterans Crisis Line. Work Schedule: Full-Time; M-F 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Telework: Adhoc, only as needed Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000/Clinical Psychologist Suicide Prevention EDRP Authorized: Contact Cindy.Bruns@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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."]

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