Psychologist-Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs Licensed Independent Provider

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.

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Duties

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

Clinical Responsibilities

• The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs (BHIP) Licensed Independent Provider (LIP) performs specialized treatment of complex mental health needs in the BHIP.
• Determines psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses as a result of a complete assessment, utilizing appropriate assessment tools, within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Provides individual, group and family psychotherapy interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with a variety of mental health needs.
• Implements use of Measurement Based Care for measuring effectiveness of clinical practice and services in specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
• Demonstrates the ability to design changes based on empirical findings. Accommodate emergency or urgent care matters.
• Interviews Veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health as part of a psychosocial assessment.
• programs.
• Uses subjective and objective data in making clinical assessment of the veteran's needs.
• Ability to serve Veterans as outpatients who often have severe crises, lack family or community supports, frequently fail to comply with treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support.
• Assesses risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving the veteran, family, or significant others.
• Assesses serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, co-morbid medical conditions, dementia, and other high-risk diagnoses.
• On an outpatient basis, finds a suitable means of treatment to help Veterans and/or significant others cope with stressful situations.).
• Develops treatment plans in coordination with all BHIP Team Members.
• Assesses for appropriate referrals to additional services and levels of care.
• Provides high-quality, time limited therapy by utilizing Evidence Based Psychotherapies (EBP) in the treatment of veterans served.
• Independently concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the Veteran.
  
  

Administrative Responsibilities

• The clinician enters all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate/approved formats and templates.
• The clinician establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies.
• Attends all appropriate meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, staff meetings, departmental/section staff meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.)
• The clinician will collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the appropriate program offices and local policies.
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Amber.Guinotte@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)

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: Ad-Hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 54722O

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

• This is an open continuous announcement until July 28, 202h. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. ***
  
  

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:

U.S Citizen:

• 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; &
• 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 &/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship.

OR

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

OR

• Are a current or former OAA intern/resident/fellow at a VA Program.
  
  

Internships:

• Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & 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 & 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 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 &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.

OR

• Are a current or former OAA intern/resident/fellow at a VA Program.
  
  

Licensure: Hold a full, current, & 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.
  
  

Grade Determinations:

GS-11

Experience. None Beyond The Basic Requirements.

GS-12

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.

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

• Knowledge of & ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.
• Ability to design & implement effective treatment strategies.
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.
• Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects.
• 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

Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

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

• Knowledge of, & ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
• Ability to provide professional advice & consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health.
• Knowledge of clinical research literature.
  
  

Preferred Experience: Familiarity with Suicide Prevention and Crises Mental Health Care: Experience in working with PTSD, Substance Use disorder, Co-occurring Mental Health Disorders: Able to to work within an Interdisciplinary Team )Medical Providers, Psychiatrists, Nursing Staff, Case Managers). Specialty training in Evidence Based Psychotherapies (EBP).

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 FEBRUARY 7, 2018 PART II APPENDIX G18



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: This position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses are permitted), keen hearing (aid permitted), clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or

testing, as a condition of employment.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.