Summary

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) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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. Driver's License: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position.

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship
Be a citizen of the United States
(Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.) Education
You must 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
The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
OR, Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a 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
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
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 (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
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
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level): Education
No beyond the basic requirements
Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level): 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: 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 (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
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
Staff Psychologist, 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
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G18The 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 mostly sedentary and requires sitting, standing, bending and carrying light items (15 lbs.) such as charts, papers and books
Occasional lifting of heavier loads, as in assisting the moving of a patient from a wheelchair to a chair is required
A significant amount of standing and walking up to 4 hours per day is also required
Must perform rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.

Duties "Major Duties include but are not limited to: Clinical Responsibilities: Providing mental health prevention, assessment, treatment, management, and professional consultation services in the veteran's residential setting, as well as other geriatrics and extended care settings.
Facilitating and promoting the transformation of the nursing home to reflect home-like and person-centered principles by engaging in direct staff training in person centered interactions with residents, incorporating environmental modifications, implementing processes and programs that promote resident autonomy, growth and individuality.
Promoting the delivery of evidence-based psychosocial and environmental interventions for reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as agitation, aggression, and wandering, associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric and mental health conditions.
Providing screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depressive disorders, anxiety-related disorders, and serious mental health illness, as well as other Axis I and Axis II conditions, with an emphasis on the application of evidence-based approaches.
Providing psychological prevention services to residents at significant risk for psychological problems.
Providing screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or dementia assessment is needed.
Performing capacity/competency assessments when there are questions about a resident's ability to make medical decisions, perform other specific functions, or live independently.
Assessing resident's understanding of advanced directives and other forms of consent and assisting staff in determining how to present treatment options and other such material to residents in a format they can understand.
Providing individual and group interventions to support residents that are coping with feelings of grief and loss associated with disability, adjustment to nursing home environment, and other life transitions.
Providing behavioral medicine interventions to manage pain, disability, address sleep problems, facilitate sleep problems, facilitate weight loss, promote smoking cessation, and enhance medical compliance.
Promoting communication and interactions between medical team members, residents, and their families to facilitate the medical treatment process.
Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients.
Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others.
Provides consultation to professional staff within the facility and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients.
Complete mood care plans for CLC veterans in Caribou upon admission.
Review IDT care plans weekly at IDT meetings with team members as lead by RNAC.
Contribute to CLC Interdisciplinary Care Plan documentation in Caribou within 24 hours of IDT meeting.
Completes Capacity and Cognitive/Neuropsychological testing evaluations for both the CLC and other departments across the facility as referred Participate in IDT Hospice Rounds Administrative Responsibilities: Assists the program director or coordinator in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers.
Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, established by the affiliated PCL manager and/or Service Line Director.
Assist the program director or coordinator in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program.
Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services.
Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients.
Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures.
Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Service Line Director (or designee) and facility Director.
Attends regular Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, and complies with Psychology Service peer review procedures.
Assisting in initiation and implementation of quality improvement initiatives at the CLC Performs other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized for Highly Qualified Candidates EDRP Authorized: Contact VHAVISN04HREDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"