Senior Psychologist Program Manager - Outpatient Mental Health Section

About the role

The psychologist serves as a Senior Program Manager for the Outpatient Mental Health (OMH) program at the American Lake division of VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) in Tacoma, WA. In this capacity, the psychologist functions as the Director, OMH for the Mental Health Service Line. The Mental Health Service at VAPSHCS is a large and diverse integrated care line with over 400 FTEE, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and several additional clinical and administrative staff.

Responsibilities

• Senior Program Management (30%): Provides broad program management responsibilities of a clinical care team, including leadership in the development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight of a complex program responsible for comprehensive clinical care of Veterans. Leads a multidisciplinary team including psychologists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, nurses, and other health care professionals and trainees. Responsible for development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the treatment team with approval of the affiliated Program Director and/or Service Line Leader. Monitors and distributes provider-specific workload reports to program managers and ensures provider adherence to workload standards. Plans work to be accomplished by program managers, including establishing priorities, timelines for completion, and necessary adjustments. Initiates and maintains liaisons with associated VA health care programs to effectively coordinate services.
• Supervisory Responsibilities (20%): Functions as the first-line supervising authority (rater) for six Program Managers and four front-line staff members, providing administrative and clinical supervision/consultation as appropriate. Provides administrative oversight and clinical consultation to over 50 other interdisciplinary team members for whom the incumbent is not the designated first-line rating authority. Assumes responsibility for taking appropriate disciplinary actions for employees with performance problems in a timely and effective manner.
• Clinical Responsibilities (45%): Provides psychological assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of psychopathology receiving care within the clinic setting. Provides education to patients and family members regarding relevant mental health concerns. Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation. Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plans to ensure care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the Medical Center. Develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements (must be met within 30 days of the closing date):

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Education: Doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time of completion. The specialty area must be consistent with the assignment (APA-accredited specialties: clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations; PCSAS: psychological clinical science; CPA: clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, school psychology). Note: School psychology specialty is not eligible for VHA appointment. Alternatively, a doctoral degree in any area of psychology plus successful completion of a re-specialization program (including an APA/CPA-accredited internship) in an APA/CPA-accredited doctoral program, with the re-training specialty consistent with the assignment. Official transcript/certificate documenting completion required. Psychologists who completed re-specialization and were employed by VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have met educational requirements. Alternatively, a doctoral degree awarded 1951–1978 from a regionally accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
• Internship: Successful completion of a professional psychology internship training program accredited by APA or CPA at the time of completion, consistent with the assignment. New VHA psychology internship programs in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable if sanctioned by VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time of internship. VHA facilities offering full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are acceptable. Applicants with non-APA/CPA-accredited internships may be eligible only if currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty consistent with the assignment (must maintain certification). Applicants with a 1951–1978 doctoral degree may fulfill this requirement with the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience at a site acceptable to the doctoral program; if not on transcript, a statement from the doctoral program verifying completion is required.
• Licensure: Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. Grandfathering Provision per VA Qualification Standard may apply (only to current VHA employees in this occupation meeting criteria).

Grade Determinations: Senior Psychologist Program Manager – GS-15

• Experience: At least four years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Skill in managing and directing the work of large, complex organizational units and in applying effective management practices.
  • Skill in persuasion, negotiation, and motivation to negotiate multiple program policies.
  • Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees and other managers using advanced consultation and problem-solving skills.
  • Skill in the application and analysis of measurement tools to systems issues