Details
Posted: 31-Jul-22
Location: Jackson, Mississippi
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 647782700
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. 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. Learn more 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. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education Requirement - You must 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. OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a respecialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the respecialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and b) the specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship Requirement - You must 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). NOTE: 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: Candidates must 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. Preferred Experience: At Least one year of prior experience implementing cognitive-behaviorally based interventions with older adults that are experiencing cognitive impairment; one year or more of prior experience conducting neuropsychological assessments; one year or more of experience working as a member of a multidisciplinary team; and previous experience working caregivers. Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement GS-12 Level: at least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level, and are able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities: 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. GS-13 Level: at least 2 addition years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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. *Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying of light objects such as files, books and papers. Some walking, standing and bending is required. No special physical qualifications are required. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13. ["This Staff Neuropsychologist position is designated to enhance mental health services for Veterans as a member of the Mental Health Service. The neuropsychologist will work closely with the consult team providing outpatient care to veterans with issues in the domains of impaired cognitive functioning, psychiatric illness, and functional living skill deficits. In addition to outpatient consult care, the neuropsychologist provides neurocognitive, intellectual, academic, and personality/psychopathology assessment to VA inpatients as needed. The duties of the Staff Neuro-Psychologist include, but are not limited to: Develop and implement an integrated program to offer neuropsychological and psychological assessment services targeted specifically to the Veteran population; Provide training and supervision of psychology technicians; Provide screening; assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of Veterans with impaired cognitive functioning, impaired functional living skills, and psychiatric illness; Assess and provide treatments for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, and excessive-use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs Provide psychological prevention services to patients at significant risk for continued cognitive decline and/or psychological problems; Provide services to the families of Veterans with dementia when such care is directly related to the overall treatment plan for the Veteran and will allow better care for the Veteran and allow the family to sustain the Veteran in the home environment; Provide screening for cognitive deficits for mental health clinics to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or dementia assessment is needed; Perform capacity/competency assessments when there are questions about a patient's ability to make medical decisions, perform other specific functions, or live independently; Assess patients' understanding of advanced directives and other forms of consent and assisting staff in determining how to present treatment options and other such material to Veterans in a format they can understand; Provide psychoeducational and supportive interventions, in conjunction with the Veteran, for spouses, family members/caregivers, and others that are involved in the Veteran's care; Promoting communication/interactions between medical team members, Veterans, and their families to facilitate the medical treatment process; Manage the acquisition and maintenance of test materials, including keeping the neuropsychology test library current, as well as working with the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) to keep any testing software current and easily accessible; May be involved in the Psychology Training Program as a faculty supervisor for psychology interns when assigned; Is involved in the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, or other mental health trainees, by teaching occasional lectures and seminars and providing limited supervision for clinical practicum experience. Promoting the delivery of evidence-based psychosocial and environmental interventions for reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as agitation, aggression, and wandering associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric and mental health conditions. Providing screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depressive disorders, anxiety-related disorders, and serious mental illness, as well as other Axis I conditions, with an emphasis on the application of evidence based approaches. Assessing and providing treatments for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, & excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other substances; Assessing Community Living Center residents' understanding of advanced directives and other forms of consent and assisting staff in determining how to present treatment options and other such material to residents in a format they can understand; Providing consultative assessment and intervention services, up to 10 hours per week within the Palliative Care Program; Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 586-00287/00288/00289-F\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact ronda.eady@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]