Clinical Psychologist (Chief of Psychology)

The Chief of Psychology is assigned to the Behavioral Health Service (BHS) of the Wilmington Veteran Affairs Medical Center (WVAMC). The Incumbent will provide clinical activity in addition to administrative tasks. The incumbent will oversee/ supervise psychology staff and provide administrative oversight to the BHS staff located in the Wilmington VAMC and five Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The incumbent will serve as Program Manager over several BHS programs.

Qualifications:

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: (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. 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. 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Grade Determinations:

GS-14 Service Chief:
Experience: At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level (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).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines.
2. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.
3. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view.
4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
5. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G18

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14.

Physical Requirements: Light to moderate lifting, up to 44 pounds; light carrying, under 15 pounds; reaching above shoulder, use of both hands and fingers required, walking/standing 6-8 hours; both legs required; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; ability to work alone.

Responsibilities:

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.

Major duties include, but may not be limited to:

• Assists with managing Behavioral Health Services at the Wilmington VA and the five associated CBOC's. Services include general outpatient mental health clinic services as well as evidence-based treatment for Post Traumatic Disorder, Military Sexual Trauma and Substance Use Disorders.
• Supervises BHS staff, including psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, peer specialists, and nurses to ensure program quality. Works in close collaboration with the fellow clinical leaders of Psychiatry, Social Work, and Nursing to ensure each staff member is meeting all requirements for clinical competency.
• Supervision of psychology interns and practicum students
• Manages operation of key clinical programs to include full responsibility for the day-to-day activities of the Wilmington VAMC and associated CBOC BHS programs and is instrumental in enhancing services.
• Provides oversight for various BHS programs.
• Employs strategic planning to ensure the provision of high quality services to meet the needs of the Veterans being served and planning, and developing and implementing short- and long-term goals and objectives consistent with the program's strategic plan.
• Monitors administrative and programmatic resources and deploys those resources in support of the program needs.
• Provides a full range of psychological assessment and treatment services of psychological disorders for a wide range of patients.
• Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others about psychological disorders and treatments.
• Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan, including assessments, for an assigned caseload of patients.
• Executes ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the Psychology and BHS services.
• Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.
• Is responsible for timely completion of all program evaluations and documents required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, VISN, and VACO, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies (such as The JC) and monitoring entities (such as NEPEC), as appropriate.
• May perform other duties as directed.

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday
Telework: Not Authorized
Position Title/Functional Statement #:Chief Psychologist /000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Maybe Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required