Psychologist (BHIP)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the application. Former participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

The Staff Psychologist serves as a full-time member of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) within the Mental Health ICC at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. The incumbent provides outpatient mental health services to Veterans enrolled at the Syracuse VAMC and its Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The Syracuse VAMC is a large, complexity level 1C facility offering comprehensive healthcare services across thirteen counties, supported by seven CBOCs. As an affiliated tertiary care system, it provides a wide range of specialized programs. This role focuses on delivering outpatient psychological services to Veterans. Key responsibilities include providing evidence-based psychotherapy, conducting psychosocial assessments, developing treatment plans, and offering crisis intervention and stabilization. The psychologist will deliver both in-person and telehealth services and may facilitate therapeutic groups as needed. Collaboration with Veterans, caregivers, and interdisciplinary team members is essential to ensure coordinated, recovery-oriented care. Major Duties and Responsibilities, include but are not limited to: - Provide evidence-based, recovery-oriented, strength-based, and trauma-informed mental health care, collaborating with Veterans and their identified Caregivers to determine appropriate clinical interventions. - Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments and develop individualized treatment plans with measurable, attainable goals, incorporating Measurement-Based Care tools. - Demonstrate knowledge of treatment protocols for a range of psychiatric disorders and competence in evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Maintain general understanding of common psychotropic medications and their effects. - Accurately use mental health and medical terminology to support effective communication with interdisciplinary team members. - Complete timely, thorough clinical documentation in the electronic health record and review interdisciplinary notes to ensure coordinated, comprehensive care. -Perform rapid assessments and develop crisis intervention plans, including determining the need for psychiatric hospitalization or readiness for admission to mental health or substance use residential programs. - Participate in collaborative clinical discussions and advocate for Veterans' psychosocial and mental health needs, particularly as they relate to treatment engagement and adherence. - Routinely assess Veterans' mental health status throughout the course of treatment and coordinate with the care team to support appropriate transitions to the least restrictive level of care while maintaining clinical stability. Implement timely and effective discharge or transition plans. - Maintain a general understanding of available Veteran benefits, services, and specialized programs. - Demonstrate flexibility by assuming additional responsibilities as needed to support the mission of the organization, the outpatient mental health service line, and the Veterans served. - Engage in ongoing professional development through self-assessment, supervision, and participation in clinical discussions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases, When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Qualifications

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: 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 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND, Internship: 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 f