Staff Psychologist

Summary

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. Program 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.

Duties

VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties for this position may include (but are not limited to): Providing a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including use of psychological testing for patients in Outpatient Services. Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. Provides diagnoses of mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients to include a full range of psycho-diagnostic services. Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Provides education to patients, family members, significant others, and community members. Provides consultation to professional staff within the WJBD VA Health Care System and to community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients. Functions as a member of the Outpatient Mental Health Team with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete responsibility for all clinical findings, patient care decisions, and clinical documentation. May have limited clinical program management responsibilities including operation and management of various psychology or mental health programs. May serve as a representative for outpatient mental health programs. Collaborates with the program lead and begins to initiate an ongoing education plan for providers, Veterans, families, and members of the community on recovery model of care. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the Mental Health Service as established by service leadership. Assists with and begins to initiate ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program. Develops and begins to initiate professional, collegial relationships with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services. Complies with national and local performance measures. Provides training and teaching to all staff during New Employee Orientation on Recovery and Patient Focused Care initiatives. Provide training to staff on Recovery Model Implementation and Patient Focused Care initiatives to include electronic health record suite templates, safety plans, treatment plans, suicide risk reduction initiatives, and other high risk patient needs. Performs other necessary duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM, EST Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected] 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) Telework: Some AD-HOC ONLY telework options may be available at the discretion of the hiring service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS11: 63034F; GS12: 63035F; GS13: 63036F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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. Language: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Education: See the Education section of this Job Announcement. 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. Board Certification and Loss of Credential: Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education. Loss of Credential. Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification 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. Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, b