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 EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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
• 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 Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.] AND Internships 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 from a regionally- accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program
• If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript - the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one- year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program
• 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
• Grade Requirements: Staff Psychologist - GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• Staff Psychologist - GS-12 (Developmental Level) Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11)
• Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
• Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team - including research participant relations - research documentation - data acquisition - maintenance - and collaboration
• Staff Psychologist - GS-13 (Full Performance - Level) Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of - and ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Preferred Experience: Experience providing psychotherapy in an outpatient mental health setting
• Experience providing evidence- based psychotherapy Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS13 to
• Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor - as the position requires sitting - standing - and walking
• Some travel may be required in order to attend trainings
• The emotional demands can be stressful in working with high-risk for suicide veteran population and their families
• A high level of self-awareness is essential
• Work - divided between office and clinical settings - is primarily sedentary
• May require prolonged standing - moderate walking - and manual dexterity
• Requires carrying light items - such as books - files - or laptop computer.

Duties

• The incumbent serves as a fully qualified psychologist in the Mental Health Service
• The incumbent has primary assignment as a therapist within a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team
• BHIP functions as the outpatient mental health clinic and is one of the functional units providing psychological services to the Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System
• FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES Diagnose mental disorders
• Conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments
• Treat mental disorders through individual - family - and group psychotherapy - utilizing Evidence Based Treatments
• Perform formal and informal assessments for a wide variety of patient conditions and diagnoses - including mental illness - substance abuse and general emotional and cognitive functioning
• Ensure the assessment and care provided accommodate to the cognitive - emotional - chronological maturation - and diversity needs of the person served
• Provide a full range of therapeutic interventions with a strong emphasis on evidence-based models of care in the outpatient mental health setting
• Conduct assessments appropriate to individual patients with attention to the implications of test results for a veteran's every-day - real-world function and successful treatment/management of health problems with an emphasis on behavioral health factors associated with improved quality of life
• Provide psychoeducation to patients and family members to support healthcare adherence and relapse prevention
• Work with assigned Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team to support optimum clinical care
• Consult and coordinate care with community providers following HIPPA practices to support psychosocial recovery of the person served
• Support activities of the Psychology Training Program and participate in relevant educational seminars
• Participate in improvement of clinical supervision skills with emphasis on Evidence Based Practice models
• Participate in program development tasks - as assigned
• Participate in planning of measurement - gathering and analysis of outcome data to guide program evaluation and development
• Implement program design and assists in clinical management of program staff - as assigned
• Assume responsibility for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation
• Maintain ongoing scholarly and self-education activities
• Participate in research with relevant populations as opportunities arise
• Participate in psychology peer review
• May serve as faculty at local or other system-wide education and training conferences
• May serve as primary investigator on research projects
• Serve on committees or workgroups - as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 554-54106-A - 554-54107-A - 554-54108-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized