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. 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: 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 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 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.] OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.] Internships: 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
• Please see below "Education"
• section for more information
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-11 Staff Psychology (Entry Level): Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 Staff Psychology (Entry Level): Experience: To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, applicants must demonstrate that they have at least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level and Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the KSAs listed below
• 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
• GS-13 Staff Psychology (Full Performance): Experience: To qualify at the GS-13 full performance level, applicants must demonstrate that they have at least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and 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 and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Requirement (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate the KSAs listed below
• 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 Preferred Experience: Working with combat veterans in providing family counseling services
• working with veterans who were sexually traumatized/harassed while in the military
• conducting psycho-social assessments and the provision of processing psychotherapy for trauma related conditions
• and implementing treatment plans for combat Veterans/and their families References: Please reach out to your Human Resource Office
• VA Handbook 5005/103, Psychologist 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 work is primarily sedentary
• It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally
• Reaching above shoulder
• Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day)
• Sitting (4-7 hours per day)
• Walking up to 6 hours per day)
• Standing (up to 8 hours per day)
• Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs
• Some bending
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.

Duties

• The incumbent will be responsible for providing the following Vet Center services to eligible individuals
• Incumbents must possess the knowledge and experience to independently employ therapeutic modalities of individual, family, marriage, and group intervention to enhance the readjustment of Veterans, active duty Service members and their families
• Intake Screening and Assessment: Will work directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship sufficient for completing all required readjustment counseling intake procedures to include an assessment of risk for self-harm and psychosocial functioning
• This information will be used as the foundation for identifying the presenting clinical focus areas and for developing the readjustment counseling service plan
• Readjustment Counseling Goal Setting and Service Planning: Based on the outcome of the initial assessment, will develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions, inclusive of outcome measurements
• Readjustment counseling service plans are developed in direct interaction with the client and will reflect the client's presenting problems and counseling goals
• Direct Counseling Service Provision: Will implement the individualized counseling plan through an appropriate course of individual, group, marriage and/or family readjustment counseling
• Throughout the course of readjustment counseling will maintain an effective therapeutic relationship with eligible clients fully guided by professional ethics
• Risk Assessment and Crisis Intervention: Will apply risk assessment procedures during the initial assessment and periodically throughout the planned course of readjustment counseling as required and appropriate
• For individuals identified from intermediate to high risk, will work with the individual to develop a safety plan that identifies the precipitating life stressors and safety procedures identified by the client
• Throughout this process, will provide crisis case family members
• Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
• some evenings and weekends may be required based on the needs of the Vet Center
• Compressed/Flexible: May be Available depending on the need of the Veteran Center Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized 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 (13-26 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 63063A, 63064A, 63065A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required EDRP: Authorized for this position NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker, Psychologist, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, and Marriage & Family Therapist
• Each discipline is announced separately, and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified.