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. This is an Open Continuous posting and may close before the listed closing date. A certificate will be issued every 15 days until a selection is made. 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 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 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 provide a copy of your transcript, program information and completion date in your resume, or copy of current board certification to receive credit. 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). 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: 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. You must provide an unexpired copy to receive credit. 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. 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: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: GS-11 (Entry Level): None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 Level: Atleast 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level. Examples of experience include: diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. They may be assigned to any program area. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs in their resume: 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 Level: Ateast 2 addition 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. Example of experience includes: diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs in their resume:: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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. Preferred Experience: 1. providing evidence based care for a variety of diagnoses in a general mental health setting 2. proficiency with differential diagnosis 2. ability to use measurement based care to advance treatment 3. use of shared decision making for treatment planning 4. a commitment to understanding and utilizing research to guide decision making References: VA Handbook Appendix G18 February 7, 2018 ["Staff psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological and/or neuropsychological 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.The psychologist for whom this functional statement applies is assigned to Psychology Service, where most of the work will be conducted. In addition to providing direct patient care, this psychologist may have collateral research obligations, as described below. Duties are at the Full Performance level and include, but are not limited to: Provide psychological assessment services to a wide range of Veteran populations, across treatment settings, and for a broad range of psychiatric conditions, including cognitive impairment. Uses measurement-based care in diagnostic decision making, treatment planning, and other decision making. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including a commitment to use evidence-based psychotherapies for a wide range of mental health disorders, but particularly fluent for treatments of depression and anxiety, delivered via group and individual psychotherapy modalities, face to face, and via telemedicine equipment. May serve as Mental Health Treatment Coordinator for a panel of Veterans. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Functions independently as a member of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System Medical Staff, with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate. May be involved in Psychology Training Program and Training Committee via presentation at Psychology Trainee or Service didactics. May contribute to the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, or other mental health trainees, by teaching occasional lectures and seminars and providing limited supervision for clinical practicum experience. Provides leadership and guidance to staff of units to which assigned. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. Identifies and facilitates continuing education opportunities (with approval of supervisor) for staff members; establishes work groups to study evidence-based practices; fosters research and dissemination of results at major conferences; supports other staff members in grant submission or process of carrying out grant funded projects. Assists the Team and/or Service Chief in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program. May present outcome data and research at VA and regional or national scientific or professional meetings, as appropriate. May assist in preparation of Request for Proposals (RFP's) and grant proposals, as assigned. May consult with others to offer guidance and stimulation in research directions for the program. May implement, coordinate, monitor, analyze, interpret, and disseminate a variety of variables and metrics needed for program evaluation and performance as indicated by various accreditation bodies. May contribute to the establishment and interpretation of data from program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance process. May plan and oversee research programs, in the role of principal investigator or co-investigator, designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches. Participates in duties required by all members of the facility medical staff such as peer review or other duties. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm (Negotiable) Telework: Available Schedule: Flexible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:00174F, 00175F, 00176F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Umika.Cohen@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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.
