Career Center

Summary

Serve as the Veterans Recovery Center (VRC) Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) Staff Psychologist providing a wide array of psychological services to veterans of all eras - who need assistance with recovery from Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and/or coexisting substance use disorder (as well as their families when appropriate).

Qualifications

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 in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j.Education: To be qualified for a GS-0180 Psychologist you must possess 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:(a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and -(b) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• AND Internship Requirement - You must 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
• Note: 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
• Licensure: Candidates must 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 (a)(1)(D) 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
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-11 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11)
• 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• 2
• Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies
• 3
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• 4
• Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
• 5
• Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team - including research participant relations - research documentation - data acquisition - maintenance - and collaboration
• GS-13 Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Experience includes: diagnose mental disorders - conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments - treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities - provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Knowledge of - and ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• 2
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• 3
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Preferred Experience: Holds a full and unrestricted license as psychologist in a US State or Territory Experience treating a Veteran population Experience working with a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience providing mental health care in face to face and virtual/telemental health modalities Experience using psychological assessment instruments to assist with diagnostic assessment Evidence Based Psychotherapy training in a variety of protocols relevant to a SMI population Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13
• Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses - and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds and walking (1hr)

Duties

• The responsibilities involve providing outpatient services such as group and individual psychotherapy - psychological evaluations - formulating treatment plans - executing record reviews and audits - assisting with accreditation activities through continuous readiness preparations and on the day of the survey - and consulting with other disciplines within the VA North Texas Health Care System
• Duties include but are not limited to: Clinical Functions - The incumbent serves as a Staff Psychologist and member of the Mental Health Service on the PRRC team
• This position is clinical and most time is dedicated to evaluation of Veterans and the provision of group and individual psychotherapy to individuals with SMI and their families
• - The work requires General Clinical Privileges as a Psychologist
• The incumbent performs differential diagnosis and specialized treatment of complex issues of multiple causation - including making psychosocial and psychological diagnoses within approved Clinical Privileges or scope of practice
• - The incumbent administers and interprets a variety of psychological assessment tools
• Psychological interviews - testing - and assessment skills are used to work with SMI patients and a variety of other patient conditions
• The psychologist is aware of complicating factors such as substance abuse/dependence - medical/neurological conditions - personality - and other psychological functioning factors - including the co-morbidity of substance abuse and psychiatric conditions
• The employee uses a variety of modalities to treat mental disorders and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders and crisis management
• - The incumbent is knowledgeable and able to apply a wide range of psychological theories and assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.- The incumbent can develop coherent treatment strategies and effectively incorporate new clinical procedures
• - The incumbent is knowledgeable of current research literature and has received training in evidence-based treatments relevant to the position (e.g. - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Cognitive Processing Therapy - Prolonged Exposure - Acceptance and Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
• The incumbent uses their knowledge of advanced professional theories and techniques to provide a high-level of service to a wide range of Veterans on the PRRC including: Time-limited individual therapy and time-limited group therapy as well as behavioral interventions - and psychoeducation in individual and group format
• - The incumbent responds to patient crisis situations in a timely manner with the goal of assisting the patient to maintain a positive and effective relationship with the staff - family and other patients
• Patient and staff safety will take priority in any crisis
• - The incumbent provides suicide risk assessment and safety planning as needed
• This includes providing triage services for patients at elevated risk of harm to self or others
• - The incumbent regularly consults with medical center staff regarding various patient care issues
• As such it is necessary that the incumbent communicate and interact well with other disciplines and treatment provider Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VISN17EDRP2@va.gov - - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer 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 experience
• 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 a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized