Staff Psychologist - Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP)

Summary

Psychologists conduct psychological assessments, diagnose mental disorders, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for the treatment of medical disorders, and provide behavioral health consultation to providers on medical, mental health, and a variety of other patient care issues. Psychologists administer and interpret psychological tests of ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, personality, cognitive functioning, and mental health.

Duties

Position(s) listed under this Open Continuous Announcement (OCA) MAY be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants selected for an EDRP-eligible position will be notified in their conditional job offer. The selectee must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit an 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 review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Psychologists conduct psychological assessments, diagnose mental disorders, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities (e.g., individual, family and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions), provide adjunctive interventions for the treatment of medical disorders, and provide behavioral health consultation to providers on medical, mental health, and a variety of other patient care issues. Psychologists administer and interpret psychological tests, including but not limited to tests of ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, personality, cognitive functioning, and mental health. Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Conducts comprehensive psychological assessments and formulates diagnostic impressions using standardized and clinically appropriate methods. Delivers evidence-based and evidence-informed psychotherapy for mental health, substance use, behavioral, and psychosocial concerns within granted clinical privileges. Completes all required clinical documentation and charting in accordance with healthcare system timelines, quality standards, and accreditation requirements. Provides clinical supervision to unlicensed staff and trainees, guidance and education to assigned staff in psychological service delivery. Serves as a resource to other professional personnel by offering consultation regarding psychological services and treatment planning. Offers education to patients, patients' family members, professional staff, and trainees on mental health conditions and treatment approaches. Performs risk assessments for self-harm or harm to others and implements suicide prevention and crisis management procedures. Functions as a contributing member of multidisciplinary medical and mental health teams in inpatient, outpatient, or specialty care settings. Participates in performance improvement and quality assurance activities relevant to psychological services and assigned clinical programs. Abides by the ethical principles addressed by psychology licensing boards. Supports and/or participates in scientific activity. May serve on internal and external committees. May have administrative responsibilities of limited scope and complexity. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm, tour is negotiable Recruitment Incentive (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], the EDRP Coordinator 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: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized SLRP: This occupational series may be eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Repayment is limited to $10,000 annually, up to $60,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program.

Qualifications

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: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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. 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). 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. OR 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. Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. 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 applic