Staff Psychologist (BHIP) - EDRP, Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be offered

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with 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) — is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

The BHIP Psychologist is administratively within the Psychology Section of the Mental Health Service Line and functions as part of a multidisciplinary general mental health team. The incumbent diagnoses and treats mental disorders, conducts psychological and cognitive assessments, and provides consultation to other providers regarding mental disorders. Core duties involve general service delivery for a wide range of mental and emotional concerns, especially treatment of and consultation on serious mental illnesses (e.g., mood disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders). Disorders of mood, anxiety, and trauma-adjustment of mild to moderate severity are often treated via Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI).

Responsibilities

• Conduct treatment sessions generally 30–45 minutes in length, spanning 12–20 visits for most concerns; overall treatment duration for personality disorders can span 12–24 months.
• Treat 6–8 patients per day.
• Coordinate with providers of various disciplines for completion of intakes and treatment plans with patients.
• Diagnose and treat mental disorders.
• Conduct psychological and cognitive assessments.
• Provide consultation to other providers regarding mental disorders.

Requirements

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.
• English language proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• 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 the program was completed. OR Doctoral degree in any area of psychology plus successful completion of a re-specialization program (including an approved internship) in an APA- or CPA-accredited doctoral program, with the specialty consistent with the assignment. OR Doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
• Internship Requirement: Successful completion of a professional psychology internship training program accredited by APA or CPA at the time of completion, consistent with the assignment. OR New VHA psychology internship programs in the process of applying for APA accreditation, sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time of internship. OR VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979). OR Applicants with a non-APA/CPA-accredited internship may be eligible if currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty consistent with the assignment (board certification must be maintained). OR For doctoral degrees awarded 1951–1978, equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site acceptable to the doctoral program, verified by a statement from the program if not on the transcript.
• Licensure: Full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. Exception: Non-licensed applicants meeting other requirements may receive a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at GS-11 or GS-12 under 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(D) for up to two years, providing care only under supervision of a licensed psychologist; failure to obtain licensure is grounds for termination.

Physical Requirements

Physical aspects associated with the work are typical for the occupation and generally do not require a pre-placement examination.

Qualifications

Grade Determinations

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13.

GS-11 (Entry Level)

• Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.
• KSAs: None beyond basic requirements.

GS-12 (Developmental Level)

• Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level.
• KSAs:
  • 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, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (for staff psychologists with specified research job duties).
  • Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration.

GS-13 (Full Performance Level)

• Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.
• KSAs:
  • Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
  • Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health.
  • Knowledge of clinical research literature.

Preferred Experience

• VA or DOD experience.
• Work experience in community settings.
• Experience incorporating outcome measures into treatment.
• Experience with evidence-based psychotherapies for individuals, groups, couples, and families.
• Experience in case management in complex settings.
• Experience in outpatient general mental health clinics.
• Full, unrestricted license.

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

Benefits

• Paid Time Off: 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year (13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full-time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for