This is an Open and Continuous Announcement, first applicant review will be conducted on 3/31 and any eligible and qualified applicants will be forwarded to the hiring officials for consideration. Reviews will continue to take place every 2 weeks until all positions are filled or otherwise closed by the hiring official. For the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), See Additional Information for more details. 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: You must 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. OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a re-specialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and b) the specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internship: You must 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).NOTE: 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: Candidates must 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. 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: GS-13: At least 2 addition years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. AND To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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. Preferred Experience: Five years of Psychologist experience References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary; no unusual physical exertion is required. The position may require working irregular shifts. ["VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY The incumbent serves as the primary mental health provider on the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center's multidisciplinary Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) team, which provides comprehensive interdisciplinary primary care services in the homes of veterans with chronic and disabling disease. The HBPC team is located as an outpatient program under the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) service line of the Patient Services business unit. Functions of this position include, but are not limited to the following: The incumbent provides approximately 70 % (28 hours/week) direct patient care as a Psychologist. The incumbent provides direct services to HBPC patients and/or selected treatment programs. The incumbent will establish and maintain therapeutic relationships and exercise professional judgment to provide treatment for HBPC veterans. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services; performs evaluations for veterans with medical and psychiatric disorders; Provides a full range of specialized individual and group-based empirically supported psychological interventions drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization-Reprocessing (EMD-R), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and/or other evidence-based treatment approaches to HBPC patients and other GEC outpatients whose conditions indicate a need for the advanced skill and training of a licensed psychologist; Reviews and translates psychological research into practical interventions for improved patient treatment outcomes; consults with Medical Center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues; Assesses the need for referral for additional psychological services for HBPC patients and other GEC outpatients; Coordinates with providers within HBPC, Primary Care Mental Health and Lovell FHCC when other interventions such as psychiatric, medical or palliative care are required; Responsible for accurate, timely and appropriate completion of clinical patient care documentation such as Diagnostic Summaries, Treatment Plans, Progress Notes, Treatment Plan Reviews and Discharge Summaries. The incumbent engages in approximately 30 % (12 hours/week) non-direct activities, including research, intern supervision/training, and administrative services including participating in staff meetings, data management, and program development. Routinely searches literature relevant to psychology, psycho-geriatrics, psychiatric, medical and chronic disease conditions and their treatment. Engages in activities both within and outside the facility that promote the conduct of independent, peer-reviewed, and/or funded research projects. May function as a principal, co-principal, or collaborative investigator. Involvement with HBPC Program development and evaluation activities as needed. Engagement in the following extra-clinical enriching elements: provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including psychology interns, psychiatry residents, and other students/trainees; be involved in the Psychology Training Program and the Training Committee; serve as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees on a wide variety of patient care issues as needed; serve on Lovell Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0700-1530 Telework: Available on an Ad-hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact eva.gennara@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
