Staff Psychologist-SUD 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.
• 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
• (4) 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 (pre 1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement;
  • (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.
• 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. (COPY of LICENSE IS REQIRED)
• 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. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates

Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full Performance, Level)
Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level, this would include: 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate 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.

Assignment. This is the full performance level for staff psychologists. At this level, psychologists are licensed to practice independently in the provision of psychological services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate.

Preferred Experience: Preferred experience in treating co-occurring substance use disorders and PTSD and training in evidence based therapies for both PTSD and substance use disorders.

References: VA Handbook 5005/103 PART II Appendix G18

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Work is mostly sedentary, withLight lifting, under 15 pounds, light carrying, under 15 pounds, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking, standing, hearing (aid permitted) and Emotional/Mental Stability.

Responsibilities:

The incumbent serves as a therapist in the Psychology Service at the Louis A Johnson VAMC in Clarksburg, WV. Primary responsivities will be the provision of care in the general mental health clinic, with primary patient population is working with Veterans diagnosed with a substance use disorder (SUD), Post.Traumatic Stress Disorder, and co-occurring PTSD and SUD. The therapist provides a full range of psychodiagnostics assessments, evidence based therapeutic and psychoeducational intervention as well as consultative services. The coordination and provision of services for the two conditions should be based on patient needs as well as scientific research on optimal treatment. The therapist would work in close conjunction with SUD services, the suboxone program, and the PTSD Clinical Team (PCT).

Responsibilities: The major duties of this position will include but are not limited to

• Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care.
• Provides comprehensive psychotherapeutic interventions based on theoretical evidence: including individual, family and group psychotherapy for Veterans. Utilizes measurement-based care. Delivers via telehealth modalities when appropriate.
• Providing education to patients, family members, and significant other related to mental health conditions and their impact, with particular focus on substance use and trauma related disorders.
• Providing direct, concurrent, clinical care using established evidence-based practices for Veterans with co-occurring PTSD and SUD presenting to the team or other program where the SUD-PTSD specialist is assigned.
• Establishing and maintaining effective therapeutic relationships with Veteran and/or their families.
• Provides consultation to professional staff within the Louis A Johnson VAMC and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for the patients in his/her care.
• Collaborating with existing PCT members or specialists to provide preventive education and brief interventions for those Veterans who are vulnerable to developing SUD in the future.
• Serve as a liaison between the PTSD program and specialty SUD services at the facility.
• Assists in the design, development and implementation of clinical activities within the treatment setting, to include program development.
• Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting including clinical reminders and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.
• Facilitates discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner.
• If applicable, plans and oversees the completion of personal research programs, designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches.
• Coordinating with existing SUD specialty services to assure that the patient is provided continuing care for SUD, as appropriate/needed, after treatment for PTSD is completed.
• As feasible, consulting with providers throughout the medical center who may directly interact with Veterans presenting with co-occurring PTSD and SUD (e.g., acute psychiatry, inpatient/residential PTSD program staff, Deployment Health Clinic, MH/PC integration teams).
• Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces.
• Participates in Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations according to hospital policy.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact t visn5edrpcoordinators@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required