Psychologist - Ann Arbor, United States - Department of Veterans Affairs

Description

Summary

This position is for a Homebased Primary Care (HBPC) staff psychologist in the Mental Health Service.

HBPC Psychologists provide a variety of mental and behavioral health interventions, caregiver support, and assessment services to Veterans with significant health concerns requiring care in their homes.

The HBPC psychologists must be able to drive and work with a high degree of independence.

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Overview

• Accepting applications
• Open & closing dates

02/21/2024 to 06/28/2024

• Salary

$79,956 - $148,145 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Ann Arbor, MI
• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

• 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

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBSR JKF

• Control number

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This job is open to

• Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

• Federal employees - Excepted service

Current excepted service federal employees.

• The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

• Veterans

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Duties

Psychologists in the VAAAHS enjoy a stimulating academic environment with a strong tradition of evidence-based practice, education, and research. All psychologists are invited to participate in our large education program. Psychologists are eligible for appointment at the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry.

Psychologists work in the following areas:
Available

• BHIP Psychologists work in an interprofessional team environment providing evaluation, therapy and assessment services to Veterans with a variety of mental health concerns including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, serious mental illness, relationship problems, anger, and stress management.
• Health Psychologists provide a variety of assessment and intervention services. Some have dedicated effort to a particular team (e.g., Pain, Oncology, Bariatrics, Sleep) while others offer individual and group therapy for adjustment to illness and health behavior changes (e.g., tobacco cessation, weight management, dietary changes, chronic pain, insomnia, cpap-desensitization).
• Home-based Primary Care Psychologists provide a variety of mental and behavioral health interventions, caregiver support, and assessment services to Veterans with significant health concerns requiring care in their homes.
• Neuropsychologists provide neuropsychological assessment in a primarily outpatient setting. Additionally, some providers provide care in the community living center and the geriatric clinic.
• PCMHI Psychologists provide brief interventions in the primary care setting for a wide variety of presenting issues. A key component of this model of care is being available to receive warm handoffs from the primary care team of Veterans who may be new to mental health services.
• PRRC Psychologists work in our Veteran's Empowerment and Recovery program (VEAR). Psychologists in this clinic serve a population of veterans with serious mental illness who identify functional goals supported by a Psychosocial Rehab and Recovery Team. The clinic provides a variety of promising and evidence-based interventions (e.g., social skills training, ending self-stigma) as well as skills related to daily living.
• PTSD Psychologists provide specialty assessment and therapy services to Veterans with PTSD. Interventions provided are evidence-based including Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy.
• SUD Psychologists provide assessment and a myriad of evidence-based interventions for substance use disorders including CBT for SUD, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, and contingency management. Additionally, care is provided for comorbid condition using integrated treatments (e.g., behavioral couples therapy for SUD, Bright depression treatment for people with SUD).

Recruitment Incentives:
Authorized to qualified applicants


Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday TBD


Compressed/Flexible:
Authorized


Telework:
Available


Virtual:
This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000


EDRP Authorized:
Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more


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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination programs are requirements for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications


BASIC REQUIREMENTS
a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.

b. 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. 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

(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:

(a) the re-specialization 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

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


AND
(4) Internships

(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.

c. 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.

(1) 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 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.

d. Board Certification

(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.

e. English Language Proficiency. Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005.


GRADE REQUIREMENTS
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 (Entry Level)

(a) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Staff Psychologist GS-12 (Developmental Level)

(a) 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.

(b) 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 (Full Performance Level)

(a) Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

(b) 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, Psychologist Qualification Standard, Part II, Appendix G18 dated February 7, 2018.

Education


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


For further information, visit:

Physical Requirements:
The work is largely office based in a sedentary setting. No manual labor is required above ordinary situations. The incumbent must be capable of using a computer given that clinical charting is electronic. The incumbent may be tasked to travel to VAAAHS sites on a periodic basis.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation)

Leave:

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee.

VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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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.

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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.

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.