Psychologist - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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.
• Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
• Education: Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (AP A), 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. OR
  • Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re­specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re­specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: (a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an AP A 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. OR
  • 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
• Internships: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by AP A 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 AP A 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.
  • 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.

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:
GS-11: Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. They may be assigned to any program area. Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist.
GS-12: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs ). In addition to the 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: Experience: In addition to the basic requirement, at least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs ). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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.

Preferred Experience: Providing evidence based care and proficiency for a variety of diagnoses in a general mental health setting. Ability to use measurement based care to advance treatment and planning. A commitment to understanding and utilizing research to guide decision making.

References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18, Psychologist Qualification Standard.

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.

Responsibilities:

This psychologist position requires specialized knowledge and expertise in providing mental health diagnosis and evidence-based psychotherapy for Veterans with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and serious mental illness. Clinical work will be primarily within the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team (PCT).

Major duties for the position include (but are not limited to):

• Provides psychological assessment services to a wide range of Veteran populations, across treatment settings, and for a broad range of psychiatric conditions.
• Uses measurement-based care in diagnostic decision making, treatment planning, and other decision making.
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including a commitment to use evidence-based psychotherapies for a wide range of mental health disorders, and is particularly fluent with treatments of PTSD, delivered via group and individual psychotherapy modalities, face to face, and via telemedicine equipment.
• Serves as a Mental Health Treatment Coordinator for a panel of Veterans.
• Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.
• Assists in the training and development of Psychology trainees, medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, or other mental health trainees, by teaching occasional lectures and seminars and providing supervision for clinical practicum, internship and residency experiences. Provides leadership and guidance to staff of units to which assigned.
• Provides leadership and guidance to staff of units to which assigned.
• Consults with other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients.
• Identifies and facilitates continuing education opportunities (with approval of supervisor) for staff members; establishes work groups to study evidence-based practices; fosters research and dissemination of results at major conferences; supports other staff members in grant submission or process of carrying out grant funded projects.
• Assists the Team and/or Service Chief in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program.
• Represents the Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Virtual: This is a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 629-00411-F, 629-00412-F, 629-00413-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Umika S. Cohen, Umika.Cohen@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required