Staff Psychologist - Orlando, United States - Department of Veterans Affairs

Description

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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Overview

• Accepting applications
• Open & closing dates

04/11/2024 to 07/11/2024

• Salary

$88,509 - $163,999 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS

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Location

• Orlando, FL
• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent -* Work schedule

Full-time -* Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

13

• Job family (Series)

0180 Psychology

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Not Required

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBTC CC

• Control number

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This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

Open to current VA employees Nationwide only, and past/current/upcoming graduates of VHA Health Trainee program.

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Duties

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Psychologist:

This fulltime position is for a Staff Psychologist to work within the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Team, to assist in the delivery of evidence-based care for primary care patients identified with a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems.

These include; depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol misuse.

The selected will be responsible for monitoring patients, providing education and support, influencing adherence to guidelines by providing "on-time, on-target" information to primary care physicians, and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions.

The PCMHI Psychologist will provide assigned psychological services within the Mental Health Service for Primary Care patients.

The selectee will adhere to service standards regarding matters of timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with procedures and quantity of work produced.

Some of the duties include, but are not limited to;

• Serves as the Float-coverage psychologist for an inter-disciplinary team, co-located with the Primary Care medical teams, with an emphasis on integration of mental health services within primary care.
• Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the primary care setting, especially in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and focused cognitive assessments.
• Provides a full range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on brief and evidenced -based interventions found to be effective in primary care settings.
• Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the primary care setting and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues.
• Provides consultation services for primary care providers to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health-promoting behaviors, with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care.
• Supports PCP decision-making, building on PCP interventions and improving PCP-patient working relationships.
• Provides the expertise and leadership so that the integrated care and collaborative practice model is fully implemented, allowing patients to remain with their Primary Care Provider (PCP) for the full range of their health care needs to the extent that this is clinically appropriate.
• Provides consultation and training to Primary Care Service Line staff in the identification and management of common mental and behavioral health disorders that present in a primary care setting.
• Develops programs together with other staff members for teaching and/or improving the PCP's core behavioral health skills.
• Involved in the development and on-going improvement of the Psychology Training Programs and actively participates in the Psychology Training Committee meetings.
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff on issues related to the function of the team and may provide in-service and/or invited grand round presentations to the medical center staff in areas directly related to the mission of the team.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule:
The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm.

However, the selectee may be required to work or travel between any of the locations within Corporate Orlando, including the Lake Nona campus.

The selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis, based on patient care needs.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized.

EDRP Authorized:
Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact ), 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 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:
May be available - Ad Hoc (when necessary or needed).

Virtual:
This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #:
FS Staff Psychologist-Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) GS-11/12/13 #'s 4654/4652/4651


Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required

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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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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

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: (1)

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 (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:
(a) The respecialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, (b) The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND

• Internship: (a) 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 (b) 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 (c) VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR (d) 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 (e) 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: 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 temporary appointment as a graduate psychologist at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 USC 7405 for a period not to exceed two years of 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.)

• 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.

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).

All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

• Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL.
• Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

*
NOTE: If psychologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.


Grade Determinations:
Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry level)

• Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.

Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental level)

• 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.

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.

References:
VA Handbook 5005/103, 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:

The physical demands of the work requires light lifting, under 15 lbs.; Light carrying, under 15 lbs.; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking, Standing; Both legs required; Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

Must have both Doctoral degree and Internship accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).


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:
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


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Additional information

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

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

This is a bargaining unit position.

This occupation is listed on the OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration's Occupational Staffing Shortages fiscal year (FY) 2024 dated October 3, 2023.

Therefore, is vacancy announcement is exempt from Veterans Preference.

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 , 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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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.

As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, (KSA's), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position.

Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training. Otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. The KSA's for these positions are;

Staff Psychologist, GS-11, (Entry Level)

(none)

Staff Psychologist, GS-12, (Developmental Level)

• 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)

• 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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members:

Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.