Staff Psychologist-Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)

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.

Education

• 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.
  • 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 CPA accredited doctoral program.
      • And - the specialty in which the applicant is retrained 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.
  • 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.
      • 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.

Experience

• Staff Psychologist GS-11 (Entry Level): None beyond the basic requirements.
• Staff Psychologist GS-12 (Developmental Level): At least one (1) year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
• Staff Psychologist GS-13 (Full Performance Level): At least two (2) years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one (1) year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

Physical Requirements

• Able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies.
• The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of others.

Duties

• Serves as the Staff Psychologist for an inter-disciplinary team - collocated with the Primary Care medical teams - with an emphasis on integration of mental health services within Primary Care.
• As a full clinical member of the clinic - incumbent provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the primary care setting - especially in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and focused cognitive assessments.
• Provides a range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise - with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions found to be effective in primary care settings.
• Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the primary care setting and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues.
• Provides consultation services for primary care providers to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health promoting behaviors - with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care.
• Supports PCP decision-making - building on PCP interventions and improving PCP-patient working relationships.
• Supports the implementation of the integrated care and collaborative practice model - allowing patients to remain with their PCP for the full range of their healthcare needs to the extent that this is clinically appropriate.