Psychologist - Edrp - Relocation/Recruitment Incentive

Summary
The geropsychologist will serve in the Psychology Service of STVHCS, conducting assessments for diagnostic clarification of cognitive, emotional, and functional impairment, including decisional capacity. The Psychology Service has five training programs and an active Diversity Committee. The Service is committed to diversity and inclusion.
A Recruitment Incentive may be authorized to highly qualified candidates.
The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).
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.
• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency
This announcement is open only to current or former VA HPTs (Health Profession Trainees); current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, Current permanent Federal government employees. All others please apply to external announcement: CAZM-12204062-24-CH
This job is also open in another announcement to:

• The public

This job is also open in another announcement to:

• The public

Videos
Duties
This announcement is an Open Continuous Announcement and will remain open until all position(s) are filled. The first cut-off will be December 1, 2023. Applications received after this will be sent to management upon request until the position(s) are fulfilled.
The vice serves as a staff psychologist for Psychology Service. In this capacity, the vice offers treatment in the form of individual therapy, couple and family therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessment, and provides consultation to other members of the team. In addition to observance of Federal national and local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this Health Care System, this position encompasses the following examples of responsibilities. Psychologists require appropriate time mapping and resources to ensure they are empowered to meet expected proficiencies in administration, clinical practice, education, and research as applicable. Duties and responsibilities as described at the GS-13 grade include but are not limited to:

• Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and suicide assessment; includes the use of psychological testing for patients in areas of special interest/expertise.
• Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnostic interview, review of available records, collateral contact when available, as well as personality and cognitive tests when indicated.
• Provides a full range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on brief and evidence-based interventions when indicated and appropriate to the clinical setting.
• Provides consultation services and serves as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for or development of psychological services.
• May be asked to assist in the selection, training, and supervision of staff at lower grades within assigned program area, Psychology Service, or STVHCS.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday from 07:30am-4:00pm CST
Telework: May Be Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN17EDRP2@VA.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator, for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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

Grade Determinations:GS-11 (Entry) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-12 (Developmental) - 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. AND 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 (Full Performance) - At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. In addition to the experience above 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

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.
Education
QUALIFICATION SECTION CONTINUED:
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 APPENDIX G18Applicant 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).Preferred Experience: GS-12

• Experience/training in a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.
• Experience/training in the implement effective treatment strategies.
• Experience/training in 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.

Preferred Experience: GS-13

• Experience/training in professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
• Experience/training in consultation in areas related to p...