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. Program 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.
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. 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. 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; 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. 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-14 Education: Doctoral degree in psychology from American Psychological Association accredited graduate program in an area of training consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. Internship in professional psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association. Preferred Experience: At least 3 years of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines. 2. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives, and ability to devise ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, staffing, and budget requirements, etc. 3. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. 4. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. 5. Knowledge of, and ability to appropriately utilize, evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines and ability to guide staff in using these tools. 6. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups. 7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-14. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary in nature and usually occurs within climate controlled clinical and administrative settings. Use of fingers may be required to operate computers. There may be occasional light lifting/carrying (15 pounds or less) requirements to relocate boxed materials from one area to another, equipment and room set-up, and ambulation related to physical inspections of the facilities.
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties include, but are not limited to: Administrative (BHIP Supervisory) Responsibilities (50%): Responsibilities of this position include administrative oversight of multiple Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs (BHIPs) at VAMC Hampton and includes administrative supervision of approximately 15 FTEE. The incumbent has responsibility for the professional practice and services conducted by the psychologists, social workers, registered nurses and psychology technicians in these programs. The personnel supervised represent major components of the medical center and the services supervised are highly complex and broad in scope. Coordinates multiple legs of the program across sites including day to day activities of the program, establishes and adheres to governing policies, monitors outcomes of these programs using data-driven processes, and implements action plans based on this data analysis. Supervisory responsibilities include ongoing evaluation of staffing needs and personnel assignments in these programs, periodic updating of position descriptions and functional statements, coordination of credentialing and privileging, coordination of competency evaluations, completing performance appraisals, and professional and administrative supervision as appropriate and necessary. Supervision and resource management involves major decisions. Work activities and supervision significantly impact the ability of staff to provide comprehensive services to Veterans. Clinical Responsibilities (40%): Independently provides psychological services at all levels of complexity and consults with peers and supervisors as appropriate. Plans and conducts individual, marital, and/or group psychotherapy with the most difficult cases. The psychologist functions in a way that promotes and maintains a psychotherapeutic milieu within the work area, and participates in the development of treatment programs for patients served in MH&BS. Provides assessment, therapy, education, and support services for, and interacts with, patients from young adult to geriatric age levels on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Establishes and maintains appropriate patient treatment records in conformance with VA, medical center, service line, Joint Commission, CARF, and other applicable standards. Academic/Teaching/Training (2%): Plans, guides, instructs, evaluates, and supervises one or more psychology trainees, interns, or residents. Provides leadership, guidance, and consultation on staff education and development. Program Evaluation/Research (3%): Oversees the implementation of program monitors and outcome measurements within the MH&BS Service Line using a data-driven quality assurance process. Oversees the planning, implementation, and completion of clinical research programs that are designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches. Other Significant Responsibilities (5%): Serves on decision-making committees and task forces at the medical center. Regularly reviews, revises, and writes service line policies. May perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8am - 4:30pm M-F Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ah-hoc as needed Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized