Summary

Will work as a Neuropsychology Team member - primarily providing outpatient neuropsychological assessment services. May provide services in other locations including but not limited to inpatient and residential. May provide individual - couples - and group psychotherapy - along with intakes - psychological assessments and testing in other areas depending on clinical expertise/need. Care delivered mainly in person - but may also be provided to the Veteran's home or other safe location by video.

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
• 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
• Education: 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
• For the purpose of meeting this requirement - the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills
• Currently - APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology - counseling psychology - school psychology - or combinations of two or more of those areas
• PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science
• CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology - counseling psychology - clinical neuropsychology - and school psychology
• There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist
• therefore - an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment
• Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA - there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology)
• OR - 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
• NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program - which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship
• OR - A doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internship Requirement: 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)
• 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: Candidates must hold a full - current - unexpired - 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 GS12 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 4 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: Staff Psychologist - GS-13 Experience: At least 2 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 7 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: Ability to physically access various treatment settings within the facility
• Ability to use computers frequently/continuously throughout the day for data input and communication
• Ability to use phone
• Position is primarily sedentary - and incumbent must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time
• May require light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds) and climbing stairs as needed.

Duties

• VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties may include but are not limited to: Provide symptom targeted assessments of neurocognitive problems resulting from various conditions
• Provide screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine the necessity for a further neuropsychological evaluation or assessment
• Perform capacity/competency assessments when there are questions about a patient's ability to make medical decisions - perform other specific functions - or live independently
• Assess patients' understanding of advanced directives and other forms of consent and assist staff in determining how to present treatment options and other such material to patients in a format they can understand
• May provide cognitive rehabilitation strategies for various conditions
• Use professional judgment and advanced practice skills to diagnose a full-range of psychiatric disorders
• Ensure the correct administration - scoring - and interpretation of psychological and neuropsychological measures - along with the accurate presentation of resulting data is entered into the veterans medical record
• May provide psychological assessments and supervision of trainees completing assessments or neuropsychological evaluations
• Coordinate scheduling of all referred veterans - supervision of assessments - evaluation of test results - monitoring of test interpretation - and appropriate communication of results to referral sources
• Provide crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint - coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members - as needed
• Assess the need for referral for more intensive and/or specialty mental health services
• Ensure that appropriate testing equipment - forms - manuals - and materials are available
• Monitor the efficiency - effectiveness - timeliness - quality of services offered within the program area
• Perform specialized treatment of complex mental illness incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges
• Perform routine and in-depth mental health evaluations - including intake assessments
• Provide evidence-based psychotherapy and other therapeutic interventions utilizing VA based guidance and guidelines
• Perform routine brief assessments in context of therapy - as appropriate
• Provide brief mental health and behavioral interventions - as appropriate
• Provide case management interventions - at times at an advanced level - used in the treatment of veterans with mood - anxiety - psychotic - trauma - substance - and other mental health - emotional and behavioral disorders
• Liaison/advocate on behalf of the Neuropsychology Team and/or Veteran/caregiver between settings of care - both internal and external to the VA
• Complete comprehensive Veteran-centered - recovery-focused treatment plans and updates as appropriate/required
• Serve as psychology champion for treatment planning - discharge planning - and psychosocial and psychotherapeutic needs
• Represent the Medical Center or Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VISN10HRCCOE@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) 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 94404-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized