Duties

This co-located collaborative care (CCC) psychologist position is administratively within the Behavioral VA Care Line, with primary assignment to the Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) program, located within primary care. The CCC behavioral health provider (psychologist) functions as part of multidisciplinary primary care teams, and delivers brief consultation--based services to Veterans, primary care providers, and allied Patient Alliance Care Team (PACT) members.

The CCC-MHI psychologist provides functional assessment, triage, brief intervention, education and consultative service regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns, on referral from primary care providers and allied PACT members. The PC-MHI psychologist uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competences in the following domains.

CCC PC-MHI Clinical Practice Management (intervention): Conduct functional assessments, based on 30-minute appointment and will triage/refer to specialist care services as appropriate.

• Applies principals of population-based care (defines role and identifies problems rapidly), 75% percentage of appointments are 30 minutes (will vary by setting).
• Uses brief assessments routinely (e.g., PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT C, etc.).
• Initial consultation appointment are based on functional assessments and treatment focuses on functional outcomes.
• Maintains daily open access slots and manages these to best account for time, with no more than 35% of open access slots going unfilled,.
• Provides brief mental health and behavior interventions (e.g., 1-5 sessions for broad range of concerns).
• Uses time-limited, evidence based, interventions that are simple and concrete.
• Uses self-management/home-based practice interventions.
• Uses intermittent visit strategy and flexible patient contact strategies.
• Triages appropriately and efficiently to specialty mental health services.
• Provide behavioral medicine interventions (including but not limited to stepped care level 2 tobacco cessation, alcohol misuse, weight management, and coping with chronic illness), stress management, sleep hygiene, relaxation training, and other interventions will be proved as clinically appropriate, based on patient.
• Leads MOVE! Group, or co-leads with other team members.
• Develop and maintain a reasonable caseload of patients that meets performance objectives.
• Comply with the national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders.
• Maintain relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public.
• Proactively and innovatively adapt their clinics to meet Veteran and VA goals, improve efficiency and increase cooperation between departments.
• Maintains/submits required documentation in a timely, complete and accurate manner in accordance with Psychology Service and Medical Center policies and procedures, with inaccuracies and/or tardiness.
• Develops written procedures as requested to facilitate the timely and efficient delivery of psychological services.
• Assists in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of clinical program.
• Attends Psychology staff meetings, Medical staff meetings, and Mental Health Service staff meetings.
• Complies with Psychology pertinence review procedures as well as credentialing and privileging procedure.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Lucas.Bittenbender@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Must have a valid state drivers license.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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. To be qualified for a GS-0180 Psychologist you must possess 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:(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,
• Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND
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). 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.
• 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 direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Physical Requirements. In addition to the below physical requirements, musthave the mental, emotional and physical ability to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and pass the requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies and meet the physical demands as described below.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

GS-13 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance, Level)

(a) Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level.
Examples at the GS-12 include but are not limited to: Assignment: diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. 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, 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.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. (Note- Resume must address KSAs)

Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatment 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.

Preferred Experience: To be creditable, psychological work experience can be obtained through paid or non-paid employment providing psychological work or through participating in a supervised postdoctoral psychology training program (i.e., fellowship or residency). Psychological work experience must have occurred after the doctoral degree was obtained and must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional psychology practice. "Professional psychology practice" includes but is not limited to the following psychology-oriented job duties: providing professional clinical services, conducting research, carrying out education and training activities, carrying out program evaluation activities, clinical consultation, supervision and administration.

References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II APPENDIX G18. PSYCHOLOGIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0180

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

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary and performed in a typical office setting, involving a normal amount of sitting, walking, standing, carrying, etc. Regular trips to patient treatment areas and exam rooms are essential. There is frequent use of computer monitor and keyboard. The setting may be quite stressful at times because of the complexity and quantity of work.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement. VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .