Location: Kernersville, North Carolina, North Carolina
Salary: Open
Categories:
Psychology
Internal Number: 744341600
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: 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 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; (b) 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. 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 96-151 (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 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. 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). Grade Determinations: 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: 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 Staff Psychologist (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: 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. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. References: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS11-13. Physical Requirements: Work is performed in a clinical setting. Walking, standing, light lifting, typing, carrying, and bending may be required. ["Psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological and/or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, group, and family psychotherapy along with psychological assessment. Additionally, staff psychologists can provide (with approved credentials) interventions such as biofeedback and clinical hypnosis. They consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues and may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Staff Psychologists function in accordance with the policies, principles, professional ethics, and techniques of accepted Psychology practice to include the American Psychological Association, professional licensing code, and state law. Additional guides are available in the form of Veterans Administration directives, program guides, bulletins and circulars, Medical Center Policies, Medical Staff By-Laws, applicable Labor-Management Bargaining Agreements, and external accreditation agencies utilized by the VA Medical Center (Joint Commission, CARF, etc.). Incumbent is expected to independently make use of guides in a creative, flexible manner and must use sound judgment in selecting techniques or introducing new practices and methods, and adapting these as necessary to fit the needs of the patient population with which he/she serves.VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VHA Physician Total Rewards Clinical Responsibilities at the GS 11 level: Ability to diagnose mental disorders and conduct psychological assessments. Ability to treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Practice is under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist. Clinical Responsibilities at the GS 12 level: Ability to diagnose mental disorders and conduct psychological assessments. Ability to treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including, evidenced based psychotherapies. If unlicensed, the individual must be supervised by a licensed psychologist and the experience and supervision must meet the standards for psychology licensure in the state in which the psychologist is applying. Clinical Responsibilities at the GS 13 level: Ability to diagnose mental disorders and conduct psychological assessments. Ability to treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care. iv. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including, evidenced based psychotherapies. Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Other Duties include but are not limited to: Participates fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional psychology standards provided in the organization. Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multidisciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals. Assures that appropriate referrals to specialty programs, including community resources, are accomplished. This may include ordering the following consults: residential and outpatient mental health programs, (i.e., Substance Abuse Services, PTSD Clinical Team and RRTP, Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Military Sexual Trauma, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, and Whole Health). d. Fully accountable for practice, including entering patient visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards. Continually promotes teamwork by cooperating with and supporting staff, visitors and customers in achieving hospital goals/mission. Consistently communicates with and assists customers, visitors, and staff in a courteous and professional manner. Promotes a positive image of veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Regularly creates and maintains an environment that ensures confidentiality and privacy for patients. d. Greets customers and readily identifies self before communicating or conducting business. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for a highly qualified candidate. EDRP Authorized: Contact James Grimm, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.