Staff Psychologist, Suicide Prevention Coordinator

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

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent functions as Psychologist, Suicide Prevention Coordinator within the Behavioral Health Service at VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS); they are located at the Veterans Recovery Center. They report to the Suicide Prevention Program Manager. They provide mental health services to Veterans and are responsible for the coordination of therapeutic programming for HRF Veterans. The incumbent is responsible for treating Veterans with more chronic mental health concerns. Duties may include but are not limited to: Responsible for assessing the risk of suicide in individual patients in conjunction with the treating clinician and managing the Category I Patient Record Flag for patients at risk for suicide. Tracks high-risk veterans and monitors treatment to ensure that needed services are being received. Provide appropriate clinical referrals to Veterans affected by a suicide attempt or bereaved by suicide, including trauma treatment and care for complicated grief. Responds to consults from the Veteran Crisis Line within 24 business hours and coordinates the follow-up care for those Veterans and families to assure timely access to care and follow-up for patients in crisis. Provides training to clinical and non-clinical staff at the VA Medical Center, Primary Care Clinics, Pahrump CBOC, and community agencies regarding suicide risk factors, warning signs, treatment options, medical center memorandum and standard operating procedures, and resources and medical center. Develops and promotes educational materials about the warning signs for Veteran suicide and how to connect individuals in crisis with assistance and care. Works to reduce stigma associated with suicidal behavior and mental health and substance use disorders among Veterans. Promotes the understanding that recovery from mental health and substance use disorders is real and possible for all Veterans. Encourages collaboration between providers of mental health and substance use services and community-based programs, including peer support programs and Veterans Service Organizations (VSO). Delivers interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors among Veterans with suicidal risks. Provides education about suicide risk assessments such as the Suicide Risk Identification Process including: PHQ2+I9, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), and Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation (CSRE). Promotes the use of evidence-based interventions and strategies for suicide prevention. Establishes and maintains an ongoing SAVE Training program with non-clinical frontline staff to assure that they are aware of options for veterans whom they come in contact during crisis situations. Plays an active role in the RCA (Root Cause Analysis) Suicide Team by performing individual case reviews, assisting with preparation of yearly aggregate summaries, and facilitating the implementation of system improvement recommended by the Team. May serve as a liaison to inpatient acute unit and/or residential treatment unit. If serving as the liaison will work onsite and participate in daily treatment team meetings on the unit(s). May provide feedback and guidance on Suicide Prevention Safety Plans. Work Schedule: Full-Time, M-F schedule will be discussed during interview 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], 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) 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: Ad hoc. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 11778F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: 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 (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. 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 (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 psychol