Career Center

Summary

There are multiple Clinical Psychologist opportunities within the Mental Health Service at the Dayton VA Medical Center. Tour of Duty and hours will be discussed during time of interviews. VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9XckTotal-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf

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
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.] AND 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
• OR 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 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 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 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: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard.] 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: Staff Psychologist - GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience
• None beyond basic Staff Psychologist - GS-12 (Developmental Level) 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 then at the GS-11 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities
• In addition tot he 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
• GS-13 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance Level) Experience: At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate 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
• 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)
• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Duties

• Duties Psychologist: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) (GS-11/12/13) Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the care setting - with an emphasis on the evaluation and treatment of substance use disorders
• Completes general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and focused psychosocial - cognitive - or other assessments
• Consistently uses measurement based care to inform treatment planning
• Treatment planning and monitoring: Actively engages in treatment planning and clinical care meetings within the SUD programs both with and without Veterans present - to facilitate care planning and collaborative - complex care management and coordination
• Facilitates care coordination including warm handoffs for Veterans with complex needs related to SUD who require a variety of addiction - mental health and primary care services at the medical center
• Provides comprehensive professional care documentation in the patient record system - adhering with timeliness standards for quality care
• Participates in program development - and to aid in the development of processes to integrate clinical care for Veterans with addiction disorders
• Psychologist: Integrated Care (GS-13) Serves as Team Member for an inter-professional clinical team - co-located within primary care or specialty medicine teams
• Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the medical setting - especially in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and focused functional assessments
• Provides a full range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise - with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions found to be effective in primary care and/or medical settings
• Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to primary care and/or medical settings and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues
• Provides consultation services for medical providers (PCP) to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health­ promoting behaviors - with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care
• Psychologist: Pain Psychology & Integrated Care (GS-13) Serves as Team Member for an inter-professional clinical team - co-located within the Integrative Medicine (IM) and primary care or specialty medicine teams (split between Pain Psychology and Integrated Care into medical settings)
• Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the IM setting - especially pertaining to the evaluation and treatment of pain conditions - emotional and behavioral problems and focused functional assessments
• Provides a full range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise - with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions found to be effective in IM and primary care and/or medical settings
• Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the IM (e.g. - CBT-CP) and primary care and/or medical settings and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues
• Provides consultation services for IM and medical providers (PCP) to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health­ promoting behaviors - with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care
• Work Schedule: Integrated Care: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm (May be negotiated during the interview process) SUD: Sunday - Thursday - 10:00am - 6:30pm (Compressed tour may be authorized - consisting of 4 10-hour workdays per week) Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of 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)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) Telework: Ad-Hoc
• Functional Statement #: Multiple