Staff Psychologist (BHIP)

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

Duties at the GS-13 grade level include, but are not limited to:

Clinical

• Provides psychological assessment, triage, intervention, education, and consultative services consistent with training and expertise related to mental health and behavioral medicine concerns of varying complexity in an outpatient setting.
• Delivers a full range of psychological interventions with a strong emphasis on time-limited, evidenced-based treatments.
• Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy and counseling/education to Veterans and family members, as clinically indicated.
• Conducts assessments appropriate to the individual patient, including evaluating high risk factors, acuity, and need for services, with attention to the implications of test results for a Veteran's real-world function and successful treatment/management of health problems with an emphasis on behavioral health factors associated with improved quality of life.
• Develops comprehensive treatment plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members documenting patient-generated concerns and goals, measurable objectives, and interventions for clinical treatment.
• Employs patient-reported outcome measures to inform treatment plan (measurement-based care) and adjusts interventions based on changing needs, response to interventions, and to improve outcomes.
• Complies with all national and local CPRS documentation procedures and timeliness standards for documentation including completion of patient encounters, clinical reminders, treatment plans, and discharge summaries.
• Provides expert consultation to other BHIP interdisciplinary members and healthcare providers within the Alaska VAHCS and Vet Centers, and coordinates care with community providers following HIPPA and VHA Directives related to release of information practices to support psychosocial recovery of the person served.
• Functions independently as a member of the Social and Behavioral Health Service at the Alaska VAHCS with full clinical privileges.
  
  

Teaching and Training

• Provides consultation and training to S&BHS, medical center, and community in the identification and management of common behavioral health conditions.
• Assists in the ongoing improvement of the Psychology Training Program.
• Participates in education/CME lectures, research, specialty care programs/clinics, and collaborates in community outreach/educational activities as assigned by the Chief of Psychology.
  
  

Administrative

• Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by ACOS of the Mental Health Service Line, or duly appointed designees.
• Attends monthly Psychology Service staff meetings and complies with Psychology Service case consultation and peer review procedures.
• Assists, as assigned, in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven process/quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of clinical programs within the service line and medical center.
• Responsible for identification of client problems requiring consultation with other multi-disciplinary medical center staff and treatment programs and makes appropriate referrals.
• Attends regularly scheduled or ad hoc treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery to specialized client population.
• Engages in ongoing professional training programs sponsored by the VISN, VAMC and APA recognized training programs to enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities in area of specialization.
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0800-1630

Compressed/Flexible:Authorized



Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized

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

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

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: Not Authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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 position may also be filled by a Senior Social Worker - Internal: USAJOBS - Job Announcement; External: USAJOBS - Job Announcement, Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - Internal: USAJOBS - Job Announcement; External: USAJOBS - Job Announcement, or a Marriage and Family Therapist (Advanced) - Internal: USAJOBS - Job Announcement; External: USAJOBS - Job Announcement

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• 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. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
• 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 (or will complete) as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: Must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program, and,the specialty in which the applicant is retained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.(TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
• OR
• Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
• AND
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED)
• Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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. The board certificate must be current, and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.
  
  

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:

Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full Performance, Level)

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, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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.



Physical Requirements: None

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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