PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER

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. Program 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 review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

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:
  • 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.
  • OR have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:
    • The respecialization 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.
    NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the respecialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship.
  • OR have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
• Internship:
  • 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.
• 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. Please indicate clearly on your CV/resume or cover letter what your current licensure status is, and if unlicensed, where you are in the process of obtaining your license (e.g., "Passed EPPP 6/2020 - CA state exam scheduled 10/15/21").
• 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.
• 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

Psychology Program Manager - GS-14

• (a) Experience: At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.
• (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • 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.
  • Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view.
  • 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 establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
  • Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Chapter II, Appendix G39.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14.

Physical Requirements

Physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary, although the stress involved in dealing continually with persons in emotional distress and who may be uncooperative and occasionally violent makes this work notably more demanding than most sedentary jobs.

Responsibilities

• Provides administrative coordination, clinical leadership, and supervision, and programmatic development/implementation to a multidisciplinary team in a very large and complex outpatient region, with the goal of ensuring effective and efficient delivery of mental health services for Veteran patients and their families in accordance with the mission of our healthcare system.
• Reviews Community Care psychotherapy and psychological service consults and liaises with the community partners who are providing treatment for Veterans in the community.
• Oversees team functioning and Mental Health Service care delivery provided within the team.
• Leads the development of psychotherapy initiatives.
• Oversees the implementation of Joint Commission requirements, particularly treatment planning and measurement-based care.
• Develops and maintains high-quality Mental Health team functioning and processes while meeting all Environment of Care and programmatic requirements.
• Works closely with the site Clinical Operations Manager and BHIP Program Manager to align Team objectives with overall programmatic needs.
• Fosters a cohesive interdisciplinary team environment.
• Oversees quality control issues and performance measures in collaboration with the VA NCHCS BHIP Program Manager.
• Assists the BHIP Program Manager 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 the following BHIP and telehealth disciplines: psychologists, social workers, licensed counselors, nurses, and psychiatrists.
• Clearly communicates established guidelines and performance expectations for staff through the formal employee performance management system.
• Develops functional statements and performance standards.
• 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.
• Works to resolve informal complaints and grievances; develops work improvement plans recommending personnel actions as necessary.
• Provides advice and counsel to staff regarding work and administrative matters.
• Invokes disciplinary measures as necessary and appropriate to the authority delegated in this area.
• Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests.
• Assists with BHIP staff recruitment, conducts interviews, and makes selections for vacant positions of all disciplines.
• Uses sound judgment in the interpretation of trends and patterns; provides application of guidelines and the recommendations for the purposes of general outpatient mental health enhancements.
• Performs work related to the review, monitoring, analysis, planning, and assessment of the outpatient mental health services and related projects and annual deliverables.

Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency.

Benefits

• Telework: Available ad hoc as per agency policy.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
• PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized.