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. 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: 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 - 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 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 - 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); 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. Applicants 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. VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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. 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). 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). Grade Determinations: GS-13 (Full Performance Level): Applicants must have at least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level to include experience diagnosing mental disorders, conducting psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treating mental disorders through a variety of modalities, providing adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may also include research. A two year post-doctoral fellowship or residency may substitute two years of specialize experience. VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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. Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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. References: VA Handbook, 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18 (GS-0180. Psychologist Qualification Standard) The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: This position is mostly sedentary and requires walking, kneeling, bending, standing, and light lifting. ["Major duties include but are not limited to: Serves as an integral member of the Hematology Oncology team to provide accessible, integrated, biopsychosocial health care services to patients. Provides a range of psychodiagnostic services, including psychological assessment and psychological testing of patients as feasible in keeping with the PCMHI model. selects the optimum limited battery of tests or procedures to gain the appropriate information in each case. Utilizes appropriate therapeutic techniques or combinations of techniques, including Evidence Based therapies as appropriate, to provide behavioral health treatment to Veterans with chronic or life-limiting serious medical concerns and mental health needs within outpatient and inpatient settings. Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for patients assigned to the hematology/oncology team or other relevant teams serviced by the Behavioral Medicine Neuropsychology Service of the Behavioral Health Service Line, as assigned. Functions independently as a member of the Truman VA Medical Staff, with full clinical privileges. The Staff Psychologist assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Provides consultation to professional staff within the Truman VA and to community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate plans of care for patients. Facilitates referral to other Behavioral Health services, as clinically indicated, and discussed with the Hematology/Oncology team. Will also provide services addressing palliative care concerns including: adjustment and coping with chronic or terminal serious medical illnesses, family and couples interventions for grief and loss as well as assistance with discussions of veterans goals and preferences relating to end of life concerns (EOL). Assists the Program Manager/Supervisory Psychologist and/or Behavioral Health Service leadership in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programming, and works with the BH Service Chief and/or Program Manager/Supervisory Psychologist in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of clinical programming. The incumbent is actively involved with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate and improve services. Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychology practicum students, pre-doctoral interns, and/or post-doctoral fellows, as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Adhoc, only as needed Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact julie.steakley@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.
