Psychologist Program Manager - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Program Manager at the Mosley CBOC in Aurora, Colorado.
• Assists in planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures.
• Develops individual or group goals and objectives.
• Maintains administrative supervisory responsibility of all direct reports and Team Lead responsibility of all other members of their BHIP team(s).
• Oversees the implementation of BHIP services, including ensuring that appropriate processes/procedures are followed, Veteran care needs are addressed, and Veteran complaints are addressed.
• Identifies procedural issues related to BHIP treatment and care coordination and works toward process improvement in coordination with the other BHIP Program Coordinators, Program Managers, and the Section Chief.
• Ensures the multidisciplinary staff under their supervision are aware of and adhere to all current directives and handbooks of the Veterans Affairs Administration, meet current applicable Joint Commission standards, state licensure standards, and VA-OIG oversight requirements.
• Develops and maintains high-quality team functioning and processes while meeting all Environment of Care and programmatic requirements.
• Works closely with the Primary Mental Health Section Chief, Mental Health Service leadership, other Mental Health program leadership, and other services through the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System.
• Fosters a cohesive interdisciplinary team environment.
• Oversees quality control issues and performance measures in collaboration with the Primary Mental Health Section Chief and throughout VA ECHCS.
• Aids the Section Chief in overseeing compliance with the successful execution of Mental Health Performance Measures, SAIL, workload, VERA capture, Veteran patient satisfaction, and quality assurance.
• Utilizes the service recovery model with Veteran patients who express dissatisfaction or concerns regarding their mental health care as requested.
• Provides consultation for all mental health clinicians regarding the clinical care of complex cases.
• Provides overarching supervision, including annual performance ratings, for direct report employees, including Psychologists, Social Workers, and Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors (LPMHC).
• Works to resolve informal complaints and grievances.
• Develops work improvement plans recommending personnel actions as necessary.
• Clearly communicates established guidelines and performance expectations for staff through the formal employee performance management system.
• Observes workers' performance, demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques.
• Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance.
• Identifies training needs of employees and arranges training as appropriate.
• Conducts individual, group, and couples therapy and psychological assessment for Veterans engaged in BHIP.

Requirements

Basic Requirements:

• 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.
• 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 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.
  • 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.

Qualifications

• Internships:
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
• Grade Determinations:
  • Psychology Program Manager - GS-14
• Experience:
  • At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities:
  • Ability to organize work - set priorities - delegate tasks - and meet multiple deadlines.
  • Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.
  • Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
  • Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
  • Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.
• Preferred Experience:
  • Experience providing outpatient mental health treatment through BHIP.
  • Clinical experience providing evidence based psychotherapy.
• 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
• Physical Requirements:
  • Physical demands of the work are generally minor - as the position requires sitting - standing - and walking.
  • The emotional demands can be stressful in working with high-risk for suicide veteran population and their families.
  • A high level of self-awareness is essential.
• Work Schedule:
  • Monday-Friday 8 AM - 4:30 PM
• Virtual:
  • This is not a virtual position.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
  • Not Authorized
• Educational Debt Reduction Program (EDRP):
  • Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
  • Not Authorized
• PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO):
  • Not Authorized