Summary

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.

Qualifications

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
• 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: 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
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• 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 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
• 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
• 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
• 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above - the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
• Staff Psychologist GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• Staff Psychologist GS-12 (Developmental Level) Experience: At least one (1) 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
• Staff Psychologist GS-13 (Full Performance Level) Experience: At least two (2) years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one (1) year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Preferred Experience: Experience must have been gained in a professional program with specialized training in health psychology or health behavior - in addition to - experience with multiple evidence based therapies
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit VA Regulations - specifically VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard
• 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: The work requires patience and emotional regulation
• The work may require using appropriate techniques to physically restrain patients who present a danger to self or others
• The work may also require assisting physically disabled Veterans
• Day-to-day work involves sitting - walking - standing and carrying light objects
• Some of the work is performed in a setting away from the office - where the environment cannot be controlled.

Duties

• **AMENDED**This is an open continuous announcement and will remain open until July 22 - 2025
• The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 8 calendar days from opening of announcement - with subsequent cut-off dates
• Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.** Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Provider Major Duties The following have been identified as essential elements of clinical duties for a CCC PCMHI Psychologist
• The CCC PCMHI is expected to obtain and maintain mastery within the following domains of core competency developed by Robinson and Reiter (2007) Clinical Practice Skills: Applies principals of population based care as measured by monthly number of patient contacts - number of 30 minute appointments - number of encounters per patient - and range of interventions provided
• On average - 75% of all appointments are brief in nature - meaning 30 minutes or less (will vary by setting - should range from 60-100%)
• Maintains daily open access slots by alternating scheduled with open appointments and/or full open access scheduling and next available \"scheduled\" appointments are within 20 days
• Interventions and documentation focus on functional assessment as reflected in brief - focused notes and number of contacts per patient
• Uses time-limited - evidence based - skills based interventions - self-management/home-based practice and brief assessments routinely (e.g. - PHQ-9 - GAD-7 - PCL-5 - AUDIT-C)
• Uses intermittent visit strategy and flexible patient contact strategies
• Triages appropriately and efficiently to specialty mental health services
• Provides behavioral medicine interventions via individual and/or group format - including but not limited to: stepped care level 2 tobacco cessation - alcohol misuse - weight management - coping with chronic illness - stress management - sleep hygiene - and other interventions will be provided as clinically appropriate - based on patient need
• Documentation Skills: Writes clear concise notes that follow the 5 A's Template and utilize the PCMHI Note Titles in CPRS
• Completes relevant clinical reminders
• Completes CSSR-S and CSRE when applicable
• Notes document curbside consultation results and notes are completed within 24 hours
• Routinely provides feedback (verbal and/or written) to PCP and other PACT members same day as referral Routinely Consults with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients
• Maintains at least 10% or higher on PACT21 - Percent of Primary Care Patients Engaged in PCMHI
• Conducts effective curbside consultations
• Integrates within primary care team and works closely in collaboration with PACT team Attends PACT meetings and daily huddles
• Provides education to PACT on BH issues as well as consultation on tips for successful care management and patient facilitation - even when no direct patient contact
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VISN8CCOE@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Telework: Not available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: Staff Psychologist (PCMHI) - FS #51993F (GS-11) - #51994F (GS-12) and 51995F (GS-13)
• 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)