Staff Psychologist-Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD)

This position is organizationally located at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System in the Behavioral Health Service Line with clinical assignment to Treatment Resistant Depression Clinic. TRD will diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological, neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders with an emphasis on providing psychotherapy to persons with Treatment Resistant Depression .

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.
• English Language Proficiency Requirement: Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education Requirement: You must 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. OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a 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 you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
• Internship Requirement: You must 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). NOTE: 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: Candidates must 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.

• 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:

• Grade Determination GS-11: There are no additional education or experience requirements above basic eligibility requirements.
  
  Grade Determination GS-12:
  
  Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-11.
  
  Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the criteria above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA's;

• 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

Grade Determination: GS-13:

Experience: 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: 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.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G18

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 13.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary, but requires use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 4 hours); sitting (up to 8 hours); 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; hearing (aid permitted); light lifting (under 15 pounds); mental and emotional stability. Use of motor vehicle; state-issued driver license is required.

Responsibilities:

Major duties include, but may not be limited to:

• Provide a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care.
• Provides initial behavioral assessments, individual and group psychotherapy, treatment planning, consultation/referral, and crisis intervention for veterans in the outpatient mental health clinic.
• Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Provides consultation to professional staff within VAPHS and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for Veterans assigned to TRD.
• Functions independently as a member of the VHAPTH medical staff, with clinical privileges designated through a detailed Scope of Practice. Assumes professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, Veteran care decisions, and documentation, under the supervision of the TRD program managers
• Assists the TRD Clinic Manager in the design, development and implementation of psychological services within the clinic and coordinates these services with the assigned team or treatment providers.
• Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, established by the affiliated contract under which the TRD clinic operates in service to VAPHS.
• Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper Veteran check out procedures (e.g. entering diagnostic and procedure codes).
• May provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including trainees seeking licensure in psychology, upon acceptance of invitation to join the CTC.
• Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all Veterans, inclusive of appropriate documentation of suicide risk.
• May be involved in the training of medical center staff, medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, fellows and other graduate or post-graduate trainees, as appropriate.
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staff of units to which assigned.
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients.

Work Schedule: 8:00am- 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible:Not Applicable
Telework: Telework Eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Psychologist GS-180-11-13, #000000
Relocation Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary : $85,680 - $158,751