Psychologist - Chillicothe, OH, United States - Veterans Health Administration

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.

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
• The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• OR (2)

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
• OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internships
• (1) 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 (2)

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 (3) 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 (4) 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 (5) 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 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
• Loss of Credential
• A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment
• At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists
• Board Certification and Loss of Credential
• (1) 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) Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment
• A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment
• At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists
• 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

Grade Determinations:
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Staff Psychologist, GS-11:Experience

• None beyond the basic requirements as listed above
• Staff Psychologist, GS-12: 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• 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: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
• 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 G 18.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 work is primarily sedentary, although requires ability to travel between buildings on a large medical campus

• The work may require using appropriate technique to physically restrain clients who present a danger to self or others require assisting, physically disabled clients and may include lifting them.

Duties

"VA Careers - Psychologist: Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career- Psychologist: This position is located at the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs Medical Center, providing Psychological Services in support of the Mental Health Care Line.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Performs psychological assessment, evaluation and treatment of patients with problems of mental health or neurocognitive disorders.

Performs psychotherapy with patients, either through individual sessions or through group therapy sessions.
Uses therapeutic techniques and evidence-based practices.

Providing individual and group therapy on an outpatient basis to Veterans with various mental health diagnoses and psychosocial concerns.

Provides psycho-educational classes.
Administers a wide variety of psychological testing and screening measures.

Serves as an authoritative source of information in the use and interpretation of tests to differentiate between functional and organic damage to the patient.

Assists in differential diagnosis of functional and organic disorders.
Provides expert consultation to other units or organizations with regards to test administration and evaluation.
Conducts interviews, uses rating scales, questionnaires or other assessments as a regular part of measurement based care.

Preferred Experience:
Primary care mental health integration experience preferred.

Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m.


Telework:

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies.

This position may be authorized for telework.
Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual:
This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92307-A / 92308-A / 92309-A Relocation/

Recruitment Incentives:
May be authorized.
Recruitment Incentives.

Recruitment incentives may be authorized to full-time, part time, or intermittent individuals in their first appointment as a Federal employee or to a newly appointed former Federal employee with at least a 90-day break in service Relocation Incentives.

Relocation incentives may be authorized to full-time Federal employees who must change worksites and physically relocate to a different geographic area when the approving official determines that without the incentive, it would be difficult to fill the position with a high-quality candidate.

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized.
Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) authorized: Contact , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required.

Pay:

Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, 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 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).

Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required"