Psychologist (PTSD)

About the role

The Mental Health Department at the Phoenix VA is recruiting two psychologists for its PTSD Clinical Team. The psychologists will serve as full members of the Mental Health Medical Staff and as the primary psychologists for the PCT Specialty Mental Health Section.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic (EBP) interventions
• Provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Provide group, individual, or couples services within the PCT clinical program via tele-mental modalities
• Consult within the interdisciplinary medical setting involving psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, and social workers as well as administrative and scheduling staff
• Facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Requirements

• Must meet specific individual eligibility requirements for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)
• Must have a doctoral degree in psychology from an APA, PCSAS, or CPA accredited program
• Specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• Successfully completed a re-specialization program meeting both conditions: completed in an APA or CPA accredited doctoral program and the specialty area must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature and have completed an equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site acceptable to the doctoral program
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation

Qualifications

• Experience: At least 1 year as a professional psychologist for GS-12 level; at least 2 years for GS-13 level
• Knowledge and abilities: 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; knowledge of clinical research literature

Skills

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Benefits

• Major duties include evaluating and diagnosing mental health disorders, providing comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, providing consultation and EBP, facilitating liaisons with other mental health programs, complying with national and local performance measures, aiding the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs, adhering to operational policies and procedures for health care, attending regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and complying with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Pay

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• A higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA
• Above minimum rate of the grade

Schedule

• Compressed/Flexible: Available

Benefits

• When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more about the pay structure

Major duties include:

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards

Pay

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• A higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA
• Above minimum rate of the grade

Physical Requirements

• The work requires the Staff Psychologist to be independently mobile throughout the medical center as needed
• Significant time is spent reading (charts - reports - etc.) - documenting in the computerized patient record - and verbally communicating with patients - colleagues - supervisors and/or community partners
• Some standing - walking - bending - pushing and lifting (moderately heavy) may be involved
• S/he should be capable of prolonged movement and be physically capable of reading patient records/reports - documenting all clinical encounters in the patient computerized record

Major duties include:

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Major duties include:

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Major duties include:

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Major duties include:

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures

Major duties include:

• Ability to evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders by conducting psychological assessments
• Ability to provide comprehensive and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions
• Ability to provide consultation and EBP, including delivery of group, individual, or couples interventions for PTSD
• Ability to facilitate liaisons with other mental health programs to effectively coordinate services
• Ability to comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Ability to aid the PCT Program Manager in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs
• Ability to adhere to operational policies and procedures for health care as directed by the Medical Center and Psychology Service Management
• Ability to attend regular PCT meetings, Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and comply with Psychology Service peer review procedures