Psychologist- PCMHI/CBOC

Full Job Description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

You must meet eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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 Qualifications: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA psychologist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. § 7402.

To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of psychologist in VHA must meet the following: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States.

(Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.) 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.

The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.

TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED TO VERIFY EDUCATION 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.

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

AND Internship: 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 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.

NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard.

Licensure: Holds 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 4 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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

Grade Requirements: Creditable Experience: Quality of Experience: Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties to be performed.

Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding professional psychology experience at the next lower level.

Part-time Experience: Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full- time workweek.

For example, a psychologist employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Post-Doctoral Degree Fellowships: Postdoctoral fellowships or residencies are training programs in an advanced area of clinical practice.

Training as a fellow or resident is creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. GS-11 (Entry Level): Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.

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.

AND 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 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 (Full Performance Level): License is required for this level Experience: At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level.

AND Demonstrated 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Major Duties:

Major Duties: This position is in the Mental Health Care Line.

The psychologist for the WNY HCS provides outpatient assessment and triage as well as individual, group, and family psychotherapy for acute and chronic mental health problems as an integrated part of the Primary Care Team.

The psychologist applies advanced professional psychological diagnostic methods and evidence-based intervention strategies to a full range of patient problems in their work setting.

The incumbent has advanced knowledge of psychological diagnosis, intervention, and behavioral health that qualifies them to provide advice and consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines.

In addition to assigned clinical activities, the psychologist may participate with managers in program development activities; participate in supervision and instruction of Psychology trainees; engage in clinical research; and, participate in facility, network or national VA committees, with the support of managers for these professional activities.

Primary duties are to be performed at any VA WNY Primary Care location.

Clinical Responsibilities: Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients, including selection, administration, and interpretation of psychological assessment instruments in accord with presenting clinical concerns.

Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others. Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy.

Provides consultation and education as requested to allied health providers. Provides program evaluation and development consultation as requested to Behavioral Health managers.

Provides video care to ensure COVID 19 Safety protocols that VA Safety Guidelines Instruct.

Administrative responsibilities: Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as endorsed by supervisors Participates in Psychology privileging, educational and peer review activities, in accord with Psychology and medical center policies Participates as a non-voting member of the medical staff, in accord with medical staff by-laws.

Participates in support of BVAC and Psychology administrative and performance improvement activities, e.g., by taking on assigned projects and serving on committees.

Completes required clinical and administrative documentation in a timely manner and in accord with governing regulations.

If involved in supervision of Psychology trainees, participates in and supports administrative management of the Psychology Training Program.

Teaching and Training: May supervise psychology predoctoral interns, practicum students and post-doctoral fellows in accord with training program policies and accrediting agency requirements.

Provides staff and student didactic training and consultation as requested in content areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise.

May supervise or train allied health providers in accord with facility and regulatory standards regarding such training.

Participates fully in educational development through staff and section meetings.

Assumes responsibility for professional development by attending relevant training and regularly reviewing the literature to improve clinical competencies. Performs other duties as assigned.

Research: May participate in clinical or basic science research with endorsement of managers. Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: M-F; 8-4:30p Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Telework is available on an ad hoc basis only Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more