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. 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. 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. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. 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. In the VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology). 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. 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. [Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards.] OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. 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. 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.] 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 for a period not to exceed two years 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. English Language Proficiency: must be proficient in spoken and written English. Board Certification and Loss of Credential (1) 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. (2) Loss of Credential. Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. A psychologist who fails to maintain certification must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, GS-12 Experience. At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's) . In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties).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. 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. KSA's. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18The 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 is predominately a clinical/administrative position. ["Assessment: The psychologist provides clinical assessment of patients. Through use of structured interviews, psychological testing and careful assessment of the history presented, the psychologist renders differential diagnoses and recommends an appropriate course of treatment. The psychologist determines assessment strategies and approaches most appropriate to issues being assessed, and is responsible for the interpretations, conclusions and recommendations resulting from such assessments. Assists in development of multidisciplinary patient assessments and integrated treatment plan in compliance with JCAHO standards. In addition, the incumbent supports the Quality Improvement mission of the program, Psychiatry Service, and the VAMC more generally and implements systematic review of clinical work and outcomes in the area to which he/she is assigned. Treatment Intervention: The incumbent participates in providing the full range of psychological treatments offered to patients in need of treatment for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and related mental health problems. Examples of such treatment skills are individual psychotherapy, counseling, group therapy, along with couples and family interventions. Teaching and Consultation: Participates in ongoing in-service education program for staff. The incumbent consults with professional staff regarding issues of diagnosis, treatment, and case management. The incumbent provides psychological consultation, as needed, to professional staff from inpatient services, ambulatory care, and the outpatient clinics. Administration: Within the multidisciplinary team, the incumbent will assist in the development of the program, determining program needs. The incumbent is responsible for completing statistical reports associated with assigned patients as required. Assists with admissions, transfers, and discharges of mental health clinic patients. Special needs patients include the elderly, dual diagnosis and the homeless, chronically mentally ill. Research: Assists in statistical design and assessment of outcome evaluations for the programs, within the guidelines of the facility research protocols. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: May be available to highly qualified applicants Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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