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This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan reimbursement program. If selected for this position, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements and submit your application within four months of appointment. The final award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. Please contact Eva.Gennara@va.gov and cc VHAMIWEDRP@va.gov for more information. 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: CITIZENSHIP: Must be a United States Citizen. ENGLISH: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English. EDUCATION: 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. 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). (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Must have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the 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 the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. NOTE: Must provide transcripts and/or certificate documenting the completion of the respecialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. OR Must have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). AND INTERNSHIP: 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.) 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: Applicants must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. (PROVIDE COPY)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. In addition to the above basis requirements, the following grade specific requirements must also be met: GRADE REQUIREMENTS: GS-11 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 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. AND In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties) 5. 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 Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. AND In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. REFERENCE: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18. Psychologist Qualification Standard The full performance level of this vacancy is 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 11 to 13. ["A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive is authorized to a highly qualified candidate. Qualified applicants will be referred on a bi-weekly basis until the positions are filled. This position is located in the Mental Health Service, with primary assignment to the Community Living Center. This psychologist provides assessment and treatment services to veterans receiving treatment at the VA Illiana Health Care System. The incumbent participates in program development and management activities, offering guidance with regard to behavioral management and patient centered intervention. Major Duties: Provides a full range of psychotherapeutic interventions including individual therapy, group therapy, psychoeducational groups, and family counseling to address issues of aging, chronic mental illness, adjustment to chronic illness, motivational issues associated with rehabilitation, and general mental health. Provides a full range of assessment services (except neuropsychological) to identify those veterans suffering mental health problems, to clarify needs of these veterans, and to facilitate development of a treatment plan. Provides staff education and training (e.g. STAR-VA) to CLC staff when requested. Completes all clinical charting and documentation required by the health care system in a timely manner. Participates fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional psychology services provided in the organization. Identifies patient problems requiring consultation with other multidisciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals. Assures that appropriate referrals to specialty programs, including community resources, are accomplished. Fully accountable for practice, including entering patient visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards. Participates in the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using data-driven quality assurance processes. Provides and, where appropriate, refers patients, families and significant others for counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention. Promotes patient independence and achievement of optimal health through appropriate psychosocial education and community referrals. If licensed, performs all clinical functions independently while providing guidance and/or supervision to others. If unlicensed, the individual practices under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist, and the supervised experience must meet the supervision standards for psychology licensure. All other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Eva.Gennara@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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