Mental Health Program Manager (Psychology Program Manager)

Full Job Description

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.

Program 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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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.

--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: (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.

--OR-- Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.

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.

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: Psychology Program Manager, GS-14 Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1.

Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines.2.

Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.3.

Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups.4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.5.

Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.7.

Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Work requires some pulling, pushing, bending, walking and standing. Must have the ability to stand, walk and bend for prolonged periods and to function calmly under stress.

Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Mental Health Service is comprised of the outpatient Mental Health Clinic, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team (PCT), the Outpatient Clinical Addiction Treatment Services (CATS), the PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (PTSD-RRTP), the Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP), Homeless Prevention Team, an acute inpatient mental health service, and mental health providers embedded in specialty clinics, severe mental illness clinic, primary care, and community-based outpatient clinics.

This position will supervise and manage the Primary Care Mental Health Integration program.

Duties include, but are not limited to: Supervises interdisciplinary staff including Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, LPCCs, Nurses, Peer Specialists, and Vocational Rehab Specialists housed in specialty clinics throughout mental health, including conducting performance appraisals, handling disciplinary actions, managing time and leave, and evaluating for and recommending awards.

Responsible for training incoming staff on best practice, compliance within VA standards of documentation, and ensuring appropriate training for trainees across multiple disciplines.

Handles, prioritizes and delegates complex patient care, personnel, budget, education, and program planning activities.

Responsible for a variety of accountability practices, that there are appropriate quality improvement practices in place and providing necessary pertinent data on the programs included in the incumbent's sphere of responsibility.

Writes facility policies and standard operating procedures consistent with national standards and remains knowledgeable of current staffing, productivity, clinical care guidelines/policies/directives that impact staffing and clinical care.

Provides a full range of mental health treatment and assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients.

Applying advanced theories and techniques to a wide range of Veterans with mental health disorders.

Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center. Attend all clinical staff meetings.

Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation.

Coordinating treatment planning and delivery of services that best meet the needs of patients and are based on scientific research on optimal treatment.

Promoting communication/interactions between team members, patients, and their families to facilitate the treatment process.

The incumbent will develop, initiate, implement, and review psychosocial treatment plans based on the patient's assessed needs.

May be asked to serve as Acting Chief or Assistant Chief of Mental Health service, in the event of their absence and will also provide coverage to other programs as needed.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Betsy Quinn, betsy.quinn@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available - Ad-hoc.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 31169-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.