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

Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf Major duties include but not limited to: Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program GS-13 Staff Psychologist: Clinical Assessment and Treatment Conducts comprehensive psychological and diagnostic assessments for Veterans with complex mental health, substance use, and cooccurring medical conditions. Provides individual and group psychotherapy utilizing evidence-based treatments (e.g., CBT, MI, relapse prevention, trauma-informed care, skills-based interventions). Develops, implements, and updates individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans in collaboration with Veterans and the interdisciplinary team. Provides psychoeducation and skill-building interventions to support recovery, emotional regulation, functional improvement. Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Program Integration Participates actively in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, case conferences, and care coordination activities. Collaborates with psychiatry, nursing, social work, peer specialists, rehabilitation staff, and other disciplines integrating Veteran-centered care. Provides consultation to team members regarding psychological factors, treatment approaches, and behavioral management strategies. Risk Assessment and Crisis Management Independently conduct suicide risk assessments, violence risk evaluations, and safety planning. Responds to acute clinical situations and provides crisis intervention in a residential care environment. Program Development and Quality Improvement Contributes to program development, implementation, and evaluation of MH RRTP services, including structured and flexible programming models. Teaching, Training, and Supervision Provides clinical supervision, consultation, or training to psychology trainees, staff, or interdisciplinary team members as assigned. Supports staff development in evidence-based practices, recovery-oriented care, and behavioral health interventions. Documentation and Compliance Completes timely, accurate clinical documentation in accordance with VA, Joint Commission, and CARF standards. Ensures adherence to ethical standards, professional guidelines, and regulatory requirements. GS-12: Clinical Assessment and Treatment Conducts psychological assessments and diagnostic evaluations for Veterans with complex clinical presentations, with appropriate supervisory consultation as needed. Provides individual and group psychotherapy utilizing evidence-based treatments. Develops, implements, and updates individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans in collaboration with Veterans and the interdisciplinary team. Provides psychoeducation and skill-building interventions to support recovery and functional improvement. GS-11: Clinical Assessment and Treatment -Conducts psychological assessments and diagnostic evaluations with supervisory guidance. -Provides individual and group psychotherapy using evidence-based and recovery-oriented approaches. -Assists in developing, implementing, and updating individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans. Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Program Integration -Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings, case conferences, and care coordination activities. -Collaborates with psychiatry, nursing, social work, peer specialists, and rehabilitation staff to support integrated care. Risk Assessment and Crisis Management -Perform suicide risk assessments, safety planning, and crisis interventions under Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Can be changed based on agency need. Recruitment / Relocation Incentive: Authorized to highly qualified candidates. 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. 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) 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: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 61905F, 61906F, 61907F 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 be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: (1) 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. 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. OR (2) 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:(a) The re- specialization 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: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. [Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards. OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND (4) Internships (a) 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