Clinical Psychologist - Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Program Palo Alto VA Location
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Application
Details
Posted: 29-Dec-22
Location: Palo Alto, California
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Psychology
Sector:
Hospital, Public and Private
Internal Number: -
The Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Program (PC-MHI) staff psychologist provides clinical services for primary care patients. S/he conducts brief psychological functional assessment and/or cognitive screening that provides diagnostic impression, case formulation and treatment plan. Provides brief follow-up treatment that is supported by evidence -based intervention protocols for the treatment of mild to moderate emotional and medical disorders and disabilities. The modalities include but are not limited to individual, group, and other interventions such as cognitive-behavior therapy and motivational interviewing. Staff psychologist consults with primary care staff regarding behavioral health issues identified in the primary care and specialty medicine populations. S/he may be involved in the training of psychology practicum students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows and trainees in other disciplines such as medicine, nursing, social work, rehabilitation, and others. They may also be involved in service -related services that facilitate the operation of the health care system such as Employee Assistance Counseling, VA Police Psychological evaluations, and forensic evaluations.
Provides brief therapy follow-up and traditional Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) treatment protocols (e.g. CBT-CP, CBT-I). Reviews assessments completed by others, and obtains missing information from providers, patients, and medical records. Administers measurement-based care screening measures. Completes mental health clinical reminders including suicide screening at visit.
Completes comprehensive suicide risk assessment for patients who screen positive in clinics to which incumbent is assigned.
Determines the appropriate level of care need for patients not currently receiving mental health treatment and makes appropriate referrals for clinical services available through the medical center and local community.
Provides clinical interventions. These interventions include individual and group psychoeducational interventions. Contacts patients through written correspondence, telephone calls, telehealth (i.e. video tele-conferencing, VVC) and in-person contacts.
Available to provide joint visits with M.D. and patient and/or family.
Assists medical staff with psychoeducational interventions targeted at pain management, sleep, treatment adherence issues and other medical outcomes.
Provides coverage for other facility PACT/Health psychology sites as needed.
Provides emergent mental health services, per clinic protocol which, on rare and unique occasion, may include initiating 5150 holds and managing other mental health related legal issues. Collaboratively develops and follows site specific standard operating procedure for potential hospitalizations that take PCMHI access into consideration.
Available to provide joint visits with M.D. and patient and/or family.
Assists medical staff with psychoeducational interventions targeted at pain management, sleep, treatment adherence issues and other medical outcomes.
Provides coverage for other facility PACT/Health psychology sites as needed.
Provides emergent mental health services, per clinic protocol which, on rare and unique occasion, may include initiating 5150 holds and managing other mental health related legal issues. Collaboratively develops and follows site specific standard operating procedure for potential hospitalizations that take PCMHI access into consideration.
Participates in productivity and grid capacity self- assessment with Program Manager.
Salary - $125,185 - $176,300 per year
Pay scale & grade - GS 11 - 13
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
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.
Education: (1) 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
(2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: (a) the respecialization 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 respecialization 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.
Internship: (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. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. Please indicate clearly on your cv/resume or cover letter what your current licensure status is, and if unlicensed where you are in the process of obtaining your license.(e.g., "Passed EPPP 6/2020, CA state exam scheduled 10/15/21")
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.
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
