Duties

The purpose of this position is to provide clinical support to Veterans in the assigned unit. The Psychology Technician serves as the first line of care in the assigned clinic providing clinical triage for providers in the BHIP/Outpatient Clinic. The incumbent completes standardized questionnaires and assessments on Veterans, performs patient interviewing, implements the Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL), provides first level risk assessments, and several other services to assist the Licensed Independent Practitioners (LIPs) within the assigned clinic. Must be able to deal effectively with a variety of people, be tactful, and must have demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Support - 40%
a. Serves as the first line of care in the assigned clinic. The incumbent is available to respond to requests from external clinics by collecting information and providing assessments and triage. Discusses best disposition options with multidisciplinary team members and coordinates implementation of treatment recommendation.
b. Completes psychiatric and physical diagnostic questionnaires.
c. Maintains clinical records and documentation, ensuring regulatory compliance and compliance with Good Clinical Practices.
d. Maintains responsibility for the implementation of the Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL), working under the guidance of the supervisor or the Team Lead or designee. This will include monitoring patients in BHIP or Outpatient clinics, running relevant reports, and maintaining data.
e. Organizes and assists in the scheduling of patient appointments as needed.
f. Provides psychoeducation to Veterans using standardized individual and group protocols.
g. Provides care management services to Veterans. This includes coordination with multi-disciplinary team members involved in the patient's care. Supports the LIPs' interventions through methods such as telephone-based support services. May encourage attention to health focused behaviors and treatment adherence.
h. Completes clinical reminders on patients.
i. Oversees daily activities of the assigned clinic and facilitates the flow of care.
j. Develops a working knowledge of various treatment modalities delivered by the clinical staff.
k. Conducts follow-up interviews and ongoing monitoring of patients' symptomatology utilized structured assessment instruments. This includes gathering information regarding treatment adherence and recognition of emergent needs.
l. Conducts follow up with patients referred to other clinics or services to motivate attendance to the appointment or aid in stabilization and management of that patient before their appointment.
m. Organizes group therapy activities.

Psychological Assessment - 30%
a. Completes structured diagnostic and clinical assessments for Veterans.
b. Performs psychological, neuropsychological, or psychophysiological tests on Veterans referred for examinations. This includes both administration of instruments as well as scoring of said instruments. Provides timely summaries of relevant data collected within the assessment.
c. Demonstrates and uses knowledge of medical terminology and diagnostic categories in the completion of psychological assessments.
d. Reviews assessments completed by others and obtains missing information from providers, Veterans, and medical records.
e. Assists in the training of pre-doctoral psychology interns and other trainees in test administration and scoring.

Triage & Clinical Interviewing - 30%
a. Independently triages patients, identifying immediate needs. Assesses for the safety of patients with timely and appropriate hand-off to licensed independent providers, including providing an entry level suicide risk assessment.
b. Conducts patient interviews to assist in triaging Veterans to appropriate licensed clinical providers on the assigned team.
c. Determines appropriate level of care need for patients.
d. Refers to a variety of clinical options available in the assigned team or throughout the medical center and local community.
e. Contacts patients through written correspondence and telephone calls, and conducts follow up interviews.

The incumbent performs other directly related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.
Virtual: This is not a remote or virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Psychology Technician (Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program/Outpatient Programs)/PD02908A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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
• 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/05/2022.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in an appropriate social or biological science, which included or was supplemented by 12 semester hours in psychology.

Grade Determinations, Psychology Technician GS-9, Full Performance Level
Experience/Education. Have bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in an appropriate social or biological science, which included or was supplemented by 12 semester hours in psychology AND two years of technical work under the direction of a professional psychologist in a program of professional services, training or research. Performance of these tasks requires a practical understanding of some of the general principles, theories, methods and techniques of psychology in order to carry out duties which are performed under the supervision of a professional psychologist. These duties may include one or more of the following: (1) assist in research as in systematic collection of psychology research data, recording and collecting of data, preparing tabular or graphic presentation of data, in accordance with a predetermined research plan; (2) assist counseling psychologist in contacting potential employers for purpose of making vocational placement, providing follow-up consultation, administering and scoring of interest, achievement and aptitude tests, securing work history and other relevant vocational information; (3) assist neuropsychologist in administering and scoring of selected tests of a neuropsychology battery in accordance with clearly defined procedures; (4) assist psychologists in completing behavior rating scales or in conducting behavior modification. OR,

Substitution of Education for Experience. Have two full years of graduate study in psychology in an accredited college or university. This meets in full, the requirements at the GS-9 grade level.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Interpersonal Skills
• Psychological Assessment
• Psychology
• Technical Competence
• Writing

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items, such as papers, books, or small parts. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. Applicants must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing, or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant for appointment. The loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Reasonable accommodation may also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Reasonable accommodation may include but is not limited to the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix F5, Psychology Technician Qualification Standard, April 15, 2002. Available in the Human Resources Office.

General Schedule Qualification Standard for Psychology Aid and Technician Series, 0181. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ .

Education

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

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified : applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ .

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

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.

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 .