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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. 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 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 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. Grade Determinations: GS-13 Staff Psychologist (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 (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.). 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). Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL. Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G18 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Preferred Experience: State-issued driver license Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary, but requires use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 4 hours); sitting (up to 8 hours); near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing (aid permitted); light lifting (under 15 pounds); mental and emotional stability. Use of motor vehicle; state-issued driver license is required. ["This position is organizationally located at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System in the Behavioral Health Service Line with clinical assignment to the Home Based Primary Care Program. HBPC provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary primary care services in the homes of Veterans with complex and chronic, disabling disease. In addition to primary care interventions, HBPC provides palliative care, rehabilitation, disease management, and care coordination services. HBPC targets veterans in advanced stages of chronic disease, particularly those at high risk of recurrent hospitalization or nursing home placement. The primary age of patients treated and cared for are normally 65 years of age or older, although occasionally there may be younger patients who require care. The position requires the incumbent to possess or develop an understanding of the particular needs of these types of patients. Major duties include, but may not be limited to: Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing measurement-based, high- quality care. Performs psychological, cognitive, brief neuropsychological, and decision-making capacity evaluations of Veterans admitted to HBPC. Provides a full range of evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions including behavioral management, individual and group psychotherapy, grief and bereavement support, and psychoeducational approaches. Provides services to the families of veterans with dementia being served by HBPC, when such care is directly related to the Veteran's overall treatment plan, will allow better care for the veteran, and allow the family to sustain the veteran in the home environment. Provides effective interventions with couples or families, when appropriate, to relieve relationship difficulties, provide support to caregivers of veterans with dementia or other significant frailty, and/or promote collaboration with the HBPC team for the benefit of the Veteran. Provides clinical services via telehealth technology as indicated. Assists the assigned Program Manager/Psychology Supervisor in the coordination, design, development, and implementation of clinical programs. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the clinical program, established by the BHSL ACOS/Deputy ACOS/Chief Psychologist. Assists the Program Manager/Psychology Supervisor in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program. Performs other duties as required. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 / Psychologist - HBPC Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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