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. 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 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. 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 96-151 (pre1979) 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. 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS 11: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12: To qualify at the GS 12 grade, applicants must meet the basic requirements and have at least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Psychologist 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. In addition to meeting the above, applicants must also demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 5. 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. GS-13: To qualify at the GS-13 grade applicants must have at least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Psychology license MUST be submitted with application for this grade. Applicants must also demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. 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: See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G 18 ["This position serves on the Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) team stationed at the Worcester VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic within the VA Central Western Massachusetts (CWM) Healthcare System. VA CWM is a highly affiliated medical center with outpatient clinics throughout Massachusetts. The primary purpose of the position is to provide a range of, in most cases, in home psychological services to veterans served by the Home Based Primary Care team, including but not limited to individual and family psychotherapy, as well as psychological and neuropsychological assessment. The Psychologist provides routine mental health consultation to the interdisciplinary Home Based Primary Care teams for both the Worcester and Fitchburg.Duties include but are not limited to: Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care to patients served by the CWM Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Team. Performs evaluations for veterans with the range of psychiatric and neuropsychiatric disorders. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including family and individual psychotherapy, behavioral interventions, and other evidence-based treatments. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate. May be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities as the opportunity and interest arises. Independently provides psychological services at all levels of complexity and consults with peers and supervisors as appropriate. Provides tele-mental health services, as needed. May provide clinical supervision to psychology interns, and other clinicians specializing in individual and group-based treatment approaches to a full range of psychological problems, and in models and methods or consultation regarding such problems. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. May participate in the establishment and/or tracking of program monitors and other measures using data-driven quality assurance processes, as needed and requested. When applicable, plans and oversees the completion of program improvement activities or programs designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches. Participates in peer review activities for Psychologists. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Telework: HBPC staff are Mobile Workers; Ad Hoc Telework agreements can be assigned, based on performance. Compressed Work Schedule: Compressed work schedule can be an option, based on performance. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statements #: 631-F03345/F03352 and F03353 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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