Staff Psychologist Primary Care Mental Health Integration(PCMHI)

About the role

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.

Qualifications

Applicants pending completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

• Citizenship: United States citizenship required. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy.
• 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.
• 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 (clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or combinations; PCSAS accredits psychological clinical science; CPA accredits clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology). School psychology specialty is not eligible for VHA appointment. No distinction between eligible specialty areas for VHA appointment purposes.
• Alternative Education Pathways:
  • 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 retrained specialty consistent with the assignment. Official transcript/certificate documenting completion required.
  • Doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 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. Exceptions:
  • New VHA psychology internship programs in the process of applying for APA accreditation, 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).
  • Applicants with non-accredited internships may be eligible if currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty consistent with the assignment (must maintain certification).
  • For degrees awarded 1951–1978: equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience at a site acceptable to the doctoral program, verified by official transcript or program statement.
• Grandfathering Provision: May qualify if covered by the Grandfathering Provision per VA Qualification Standard (applicable only to current VHA employees in this occupation meeting criteria).
• Grade Determination — Staff Psychologist (GS-13):
  • At least 2 additional years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist obtained through employment or supervised post-doctoral training demonstrating active professional practice (paid/non-paid) and/or a full, current, unrestricted license.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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.
• Assignment: Full performance level for staff psychologists. Licensed to practice independently, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. May be assigned to any VHA program and setting (inpatient/outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, Compensation and Pension, Vet Centers, VHA National Center for Organization Development).
• Reference: VA Qualification Standard details at https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Responsibilities

• Provide Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) services to Veterans referred by Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) as potential candidates for mental health/behavioral health services.
• Deliver a full range of mental health services (assessment/treatment) as indicated for the primary care environment; diagnose mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients including those with medical conditions that have mental health components (e.g., diabetes, thyroid disorders, digestive system disorders, chronic pain, other chronic illnesses, substance use disorders).
• Support same-day access to mental health services — including crisis intervention — for Veterans as deemed necessary, in person and by telephone and telehealth.
• Make clinical decisions to enroll Veterans in Behavioral Health Lab (BHL) telephone services for conditions warranting additional attention (e.g., depression monitoring, watchful waiting) and manage dispositions within PC-MHI (e.g., brief therapy, referral management).
• Provide education to patients with mental and behavioral health concerns, their family members, and significant others.
• Deliver comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions (EBP) appropriate to patients — including individual, family, and group psychotherapy (e.g., Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as indicated.
• Provide consultation to PACT staff, other care providers within the VA Medical Center at Memphis, CBOCs, VISN 9 BHL and PCMHI, and community providers regarding clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans.
• Develop, implement, and document all patient care — including treatment plans, crisis intervention, and suicide risk assessment — in CPRS to assure ongoing communication with PACT Teams and VISN 9 BHL.
• Communicate with PACT teams via face-to-face meetings, telephone, and VISN 9 BHL; the relationship between the PCMHI provider, associated BHL services, medical PACTs, and the Veteran is the foundation of successful PC-MHI treatment.
• May provide clinical supervision and instruction to trainees on rotation in PCMHI.
• Assist PACT and other PCMHI providers in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for Primary Care Clinics.
• Adhere to operational policies and procedures for PACT Teams established by the Chief of Primary Care and/or Ambulatory Care Director.
• Assist PCMHI and PACT in executing ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor clinical program effectiveness.
• Facilitate liaisons with other care programs (e.g., Homeless Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, specialty mental health) at the VA Medical Center at Memphis