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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. ? 7403(f). 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. 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. OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND (4) Internships:(a) 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 (b) 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 (c) 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 (d) 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 (e) 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. Preferred Experience: *Experience with interdisciplinary health care teams; *Home health experience; *Advanced computer skills, specifically virtual telehealth visits. Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None above 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. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 5. 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). 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. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II Appendix G18, Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires light lifting (under 15 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulder level, walking up to 2 hours, standing up to 2 hours, operation of motor vehicle and hearing (aid permitted). Environmental factors include working closely with others, working alone and outside and inside.. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services). ["This is an open continuous announcement. Applicants will be reviewed and referred as they apply. The announcement will remain open until 06/30/2023 unless filled sooner. If you are a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-11918593-23-ER. The VA Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) program 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 substantial risk of recurrent hospitalization or nursing home placement. The duties of the Staff Psychologist -Home Based Primary Care in Home Health Care Service include but are not limited to: Clinical: Providing screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depressive and anxiety-related disorders, as well as other behavioral health conditions, with an emphasis on the application of time-limited, evidence-based approaches. Assessing and providing treatment for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, & excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs. Providing psychological prevention services to patients at significant risk for psychological problems. Providing services to the caregivers and/or families of veterans with dementia being served by HBPC and allow the caregiver and/or family to sustain the veteran in the home environment. Providing screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or dementia assessment is needed. Performing capacity/competency assessments when there are questions about a patient's ability to make medical decisions, perform other specific functions, or live independently. Assessing 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 patients in a format they can understand. Providing individual and group interventions to support patients that are coping with feelings of grief and loss associated with disability and other life transitions. Providing psycho-educational and supportive interventions, in conjunction with the veteran, for spouses, family members/caregivers, and others that are crucial to keeping the veteran at home. Providing effective interventions with couples or families, when appropriate, to relieve relationship difficulties, address crisis situations, 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. Facilitating transition and adjustment to new living situations and providing a seamless integration of services. Providing behavioral medicine interventions to manage pain, disability, address sleep problems, facilitate weight loss, promote smoking cessation, and enhance medical compliance; Promoting communication/interactions between HBPC team members, patients, and their families and/or caregivers to facilitate the medical treatment process; Providing clinical instruction and/or supervision to allied health students, interns, residents, and fellows. Administration: Participating fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional psychology standards provided in the organization. Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi-disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals. Assuring that appropriate referrals to specialty programs, including community resources, are accomplished. Fully accountable for practice, including documenting patient visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards. Research: Participating in research as appropriate through case finding and referral of patients to clinical investigators engaged in research or through participating in research studies, Applying new approaches to patient care through integration of approved investigative and research methods in clinical practice, basing interventions on evidence of effectiveness. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm. Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-00088F, 598-00089F, 598-00090F, Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact mary.lassiter@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
