The Hampton VA Medical Center is looking for a Staff Psychologist - Health Behavior Coordinator to join the team! Many diseases that cause disability and death among Americans can be prevented or mitigated. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is committed to raising the awareness of healthy behaviors and encouraging and supporting Veterans and staff in their efforts to adopt healthy behaviors and reduce risky behaviors.
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: 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. ~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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. ~OR~ Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship: 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. 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. 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 meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. Staff Psychologist GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist GS-12 (Developmental Level) Experience: At least one (1) 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 5. 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. Staff Psychologist GS-13 (Full Performance Level) Experience: At least two (2) years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one (1) 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: 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 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. 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). 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-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: The work requires patience and emotional regulation. The work may require using appropriate techniques to physically restrain patients who present a danger to self or others. The work may also require assisting physically disabled Veterans. Day-to-day work involves sitting, walking, standing and carrying light objects. Some of the work is performed in a setting away from the office, where the environment cannot be controlled.
Given that the main behavioral factors contributing to preventable disease are tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet, unhealthy alcohol use, and overweight or obesity, the role of the Health Behavior Coordinator (HBC) as a content expert on health coaching, motivational interviewing (MI), patient self management, and health behavior change is critical. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Education, Teaching, Training, Coaching (50% of time) Serves as the lead clinical consultant to the medical center staff on health behavior coaching and in MI for patients with medical conditions. Maintains awareness of, and provides consultation on, the evidence base for health behavior interventions to promote health and prevent disease, and for use of effective health coaching methods by medical center staff. Leading, coordinating and delivering NCP-supported MI training programs and providing ongoing follow-up skills training to primary care clinicians and other clinical staff, as needed. Collaborating with the VA medical facility VHEC to deliver TEACH training programs to VA medical facility primary care and other clinical staff who provide health coaching and health behavior change counseling to Veterans. Providing follow-up clinician coaching in the application of TEACH and MI communication skills to primary care and other staff, including MOVE! clinicians, and serving as a clinical consultant for related behavior change interventions including providing clinician coaching in group facilitation skills. Provides consultation and training to Primary Care and Mental Health Service Line staff in enhancing, maintaining, and supporting health behavior programs for the promotion of health and prevention of disease and enhancement of patient self-management of chronic disease to prevent secondary complications, improve long-term outcomes, and enhance quality of life. Serving as co-chair of the VA medical facility HPDP Program Committee or subcommittee and assisting in the development, implementation and evaluation of the HPDP Program and services. Develops and/or makes available relevant education and training programs for all Primary Care and other Service Line providers to ensure that culturally competent care is provided. Is involved in the development and ongoing improvement of the Psychology Training Programs and actively participates in the Psychology Training Committee meetings. Administrative, Program Evaluation, Outcome Measurement, Research (20% of time) Serves as the primary clinical consultant role in health coaching and is likely to work with clinical supervisors in carrying out consultation with allied health staff. The incumbent will carry out appropriate consultation with discipline-specific leaders and will be accountable to the Chief of Primary Care. In close collaboration with the HPDP Program Manager and others, plans, develops, adapts, implements, and assesses efficacy of health behavior interventions for the promotion of health and to address health risk behaviors as part of disease prevention and chronic disease management. Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome and other local data-source measurements if or when these become required for the clinical performance and other outcome assessment or best practice guidelines, using a data-driven quality improvement process. Monitors and establishes procedures to contribute to the improvement of population preventive health outcomes for both general and primary care patients. In collaboration with HPDP Program Manager, assumes responsibility for developing and implementing procedures so that the minimum structural and process requirements stipulated by the NCP are satisfied. Clinical Responsibilities (20% of time) Providing limited HPDP-related clinical services, such as performing specialty health psychology assessments (e.g., pre-bariatric surgery) and treatments (e.g., insomnia, tobacco cessation, MOVE!), consistent with occupation-specific licensure requirements. Other Significant Responsibilities (10% of time) Routinely participates in national VHA (including NCP, Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (GCVHCS), OPCC&CT/Whole Health, etc.) conference calls and audio conferences on these and other issues such as MI and other behavioral interventions to promote health and wellness. Serves as Co-Chair of PACT Steering Committee and HPDP Committee. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday- Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:000000