Clarification from the agency

VETERANS PREFERENCE IS WAIVED FOR THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES IAW Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) BULLETIN "FY22 Staffing Shortage Determinations" Dated: 10/26/2021. Areas of Consideration are as follows: 1. Current permanent VA employees of the Puget Sound VA Healthcare System and its outlying Clinics. 2. Current permanent VA employees of other facilities. 3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. 4. Health Professions Trainees 5. Public/ US Citizens.

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Graduate Staff Psychologist, GS-11 and GS-12: Graduate Psychologists are unlicensed and permitted to provide care only under the direct supervision of a licensed Psychologist as outlined in their respective Scope of Practice. Graduate Psychologists may obtain supervised privileges to practice in a given specialty area to include (but not be limited to) Rehabilitation Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and/or Clinical Health Psychology.
Clinical Responsibilities (80 %)
The unlicensed Graduate Psychologist appointed by the VA Puget Sound Health Care System shall be an academically and clinically prepared health care professional capable of performing within their respective scope of practice under the supervision of a fully licensed psychologist. The Graduate Psychologist shall always perform within this scope of practice and shall not exercise independent authority. The Graduate Psychologist must obtain a current, active and unrestricted license to practice in any State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia within two years from appointment or prior to promoting to a GS-13 grade; whichever is sooner.
The Graduate Psychologist is authorized to provide the services outlined in their respective Scope of Practice. The Graduate Psychologist cannot be granted independent privileges under this title.
Consults with the supervisor regarding any unusual clinical situation that may be encountered. Examples include, but are not limited to, dangerous behavior exhibited by patients or crises that require supervisory oversight.
The Graduate Psychologist is designated an official Managing Licensed Psychologist/ Clinical Supervisor responsible for ensuring that VHA and Facility policies are followed for all aspects of the Graduate Psychologist involvement within their respective scope of practice. The official Managing Licensed Psychologist/Clinical Supervisor need not be physically present when patient care is being provided; however, must be readily available for consultation by telephone or other electronic means.
Administrative Responsibilities (20 %)
The unlicensed Graduate Psychologist maintains a written log of supervisory sessions meeting requirements of item 4.a.6 of the attached supervision guidelines, stating that "at least 4 hours of supervision are required each week, at least 2 hours of which must be individual, "face-to-face supervision." The log will document the date of the supervision contact and the name of the supervisor. An electronic Word file version of the log will be kept in the possession of the Graduate Psychologist and made available upon request in the event of an audit.
Assists the Team Leader and/or Program Director 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 Team Leader, Program Director, and/or Service Line Leader.
Staff Psychologist, GS13 (Full Performance Level): Licensed psychologists obtain clinical privileges to practice general psychological procedures expected of all psychologists. They may also be granted specialty area clinical privileges to include (but not be limited to) Rehabilitation Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, Clinical Gero-psychology, and/or Clinical Health Psychology.
Clinical Responsibilities (80 %)
Provides comprehensive psychological assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of psychopathology receiving care within the STAR Program including services for patients with complex psychopathology requiring advanced psycho-diagnostic skills.
Demonstrates expertise in using and contemporary interview and psychometric assessment methods for mental disorders and/or behavioral health conditions.
Provides group and individual interventions for Substance Use Disorders and co-morbid psychiatric conditions.
Provides education to patients and family members regarding mental disorders and best practices approaches to treatment.
Utilizes treatments that are adapted as culturally appropriate.
Administrative Responsibilities (20 %)
Assists the Team Leader and/or Program Director in the design, development, and implementation of clinical assessment and/or intervention programs.
Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, established by the affiliated Team Leader, Program Director, and/or Service Line Leader.


Work Schedule: Monday-Friday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: Available with Supervision approval
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Staff Psychologist, GS-0180-11/12/13; Functional Statement: 00000
EDRP: Authorized. Please contact Stacy.Hermann@va.gov, VISN 20 EDRP Program Coordinator for details/questions.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.

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.
• 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: (Transcript Required). The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a 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.
  ~OR~
  Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
  NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts/documentation showing degree earned and conferred date.
• 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;
  ~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.
• 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.
  NOTE: You must submit a copy of your current, valid, and unrestricted Psychologist license or agree to the GS11/GS12 exception.
• 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 REQUIREMENTS
Creditable Experience.
Current Professional Psychology Practice. To be creditable, psychological work experience can be obtained through paid or non-paid employment providing psychological work or through participating in a supervised postdoctoral psychology training program (i.e., fellowship or residency). Psychological work experience must have occurred after the doctoral degree was obtained and must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional psychology practice. "Professional psychology practice" includes but is not limited to the following psychology- oriented job duties: providing professional clinical services, conducting research, carrying out education and training activities, carrying out program evaluation activities, clinical consultation, supervision and administration.
Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding professional psychology experience at the next lower level.

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)
Experience. None 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:
(a) Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.
(b) Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies.
(c) Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.
(d) Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties).
(e) 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:
(a) Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
(b) Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health.
(c) Knowledge of clinical research literature.

Preferred Experience: 2 years experience with evaluation and treatment of Substance Use Disorders.

References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard Dated: February 7, 2018.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS11 to GS13.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs.), Use of fingers, Walking and standing (4 hrs.), Hearing (aid permitted), Working closely with others, Working alone.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.