Career Center

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. RESUME REQUIREMENTS - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: - Job Title (for each position) - Description of duties (be as detailed as possible) - Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2018 to April 2020) of employment - Full-time or part-time status (include average hours worked per week) 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. OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND 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 (pre1979) 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. 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. 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 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.] 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. 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 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. They may be assigned to any VHA program and setting, such as inpatient or outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, Compensation and Pension, Vet Centers, and the VHA National Center for Organization Development. Psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions. Psychologists consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation, teaching, training, and research activities References: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. 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). ["The Local Recovery Coordinator (LRC) is located within the Mental Health Service and is responsible for transforming the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (DCVAHCS) Mental Health Service into a recovery-oriented model of care, assisting in the sustainment of those changes, and supporting further systemic changes as new evidence becomes available. The LRC works to develop and enhance programming and service delivery within the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), inpatient psychiatry and more generally throughout programs in the Mental Health Service. The psychologist complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for patients. The LRC also carries a caseload in the General Mental Health Clinic, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) or other outpatient area as delegated by Mental Health Service leadership, providing individual and group treatment, as well as clinic coverage (e.g., intakes, risk triages), as needed. Major Duties and Responsibilities: i. Develops a 3 to 5-year plan for the facility that identifies staged implementation of recovery-oriented services (e.g., use of recovery plans) ii. Coordinates the evaluation of recovery implementation at the facility and reports the results to the National Recovery Coordinator (NRC) iii. Implements measures to assess recovery policy and procedure adherence, and assess the extent that the recovery model is embodied in the Mental Health (MH) programs iv. Serves as a recovery ombudsman to MH executive leadership, program managers, and MH staff on recovery and implementation of recovery-oriented services v. Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned vi. Implements and monitors directives, policies, measures, or other factors required by VACO, regarding Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI) Veterans, and submits required documentation vii. Supports MH executive leadership with providing clinical consultation to the Peer Support program and acting as a support for their direct supervisors; supports MH leadership with filling Peer Specialist positions viii. Serves as EPIC Team Champion ix. Acts as MH Champion for MH Summit and other MH activities throughout the year x. Assists with VA regional or local recovery-oriented trainings, meetings, or conferences xi. Provides education, support, and promotion for implementing recovery principles and recovery-oriented services in MH programs, including educating Veterans, their families and/or social supports, providers, and other community agencies and facilities who are engaged in providing services to Veterans xii. Consultant to MH programs and recovering Veterans in developing peer-support groups, consumer counseling, and consumer operated services, as per local needs and resources. Serves as MH liaison to facility Consumer Council xiii. Ensures that Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) are given every opportunity to pursue and be responsible for their own goals xiv. Develops an education plan for providers that includes: 1. recurrent didactic presentations about elements of recovery and recovery implementation by experts; 2. presentations by recovering individuals, especially veterans; 3. information about community mental health support groups and other resources and how to make referrals; 4. information about VA and national recovery materials and resources and how to access them; 5. information about VA sponsored trainings and education on recovery; 6. availability of recovery posters and brochures; 7. training on cultural competency; 8. development and coordination of local recovery training as needed Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am -4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact George.Kinek@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019. This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health. This position requires: light to moderate lifting (15 - 44 lbs.); light carrying (15 lbs. and under); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to two hours); standing (up to two hours); kneeling (up to one hour); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correction at 13\" to 16\"; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; depth perception' ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; mental stability; working closely with others and working alone."]

Return to Search Results