Clarification from the agency

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until February 29, 2024. The next cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be August 04, 2023, with subsequent cut-off dates at the end of each weekly period. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

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Truman VA is a level 1C Medical Center which provides both outpatient medical and mental health services at our main facility in Columbia, Missouri, and each of our eight area Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). A wide range of general and specialty mental health services are offered in our service. Over 140 direct and indirect FTE support our operations to provide multidisciplinary and collaborative treatment interventions based on the Recovery model and empirically supported treatments. Inpatient services are provided within a 12-bed acute psychiatric unit, and a 14-bed Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Program (PRRTP) provides residential substance abuse treatment for Veterans in VISN 15.

We are currently recruiting for psychologists in the following programs:

General Mental Health (BHIP): This is a generalist staff psychologist position in our Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs (BHIP), located at our main hospital in Columbia. The staff psychologist will provide a range of psychological assessment, intervention, and multidisciplinary consultation services for a panel of Veterans served by the BHIP team. The team will practice with an emphasis on providing episodes of care utilizing evidence-based psychotherapies in individual and group formats.

General Mental Health (BHIP) CBOC (Multiple positions): These are generalist staff psychologist positions in our Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs (BHIP), located at the Waynesville CBOC, Camdenton CBOC, Jefferson City CBOC and St. James CBOC. The staff psychologist will provide a range of psychological assessment, intervention, and multidisciplinary consultation services for a panel of Veterans served by the BHIP team. The team will practice with an emphasis on providing episodes of care utilizing evidence-based psychotherapies in individual and group formats.

Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) (Multiple positions): Openings for HBPC Psychologists are currently available in two rural areas surrounding Sedalia and the Lake of the Ozarks. The incumbent will function as the primary mental health provider on the HBPC interdisciplinary treatment team by providing mental health prevention, assessment, treatment management, and professional consultation services. The incumbent will provide screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment with emphasis in the application of time-limited evidence-based approaches. The HBPC Psychologist will aid with interdisciplinary assessment and long-term, healthcare management for Veterans who live with chronic disease, psychosocial challenges, and cognitive decline. Services are typically provided in Veterans' homes.

PTSD-SUD: The PTSD-SUD Psychologist position will be a member of our PTSD Clinical Team and our Addiction Treatment Programs and will specialize in providing integrated dual diagnosis treatment for Veterans with trauma-related conditions and co-occurring substance use disorders. This position is based out of the main hospital and may be a 100% telework position for highly qualified applicants.

Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) (5 positions): PCMHI offers assistance to Veterans when habits, behaviors, stress, worry, or emotional concerns about physical or other life problems are interfering with daily life and/or overall health. The collocated collaborative care psychologist is embedded into a primary care clinics located in the following CBOCs: St. James, Mexico, Osage Beach, Marshfield, and Buttonwood, to offer functional assessments, brief psychotherapy, and consultation to primary care staff. The provider's schedule alternates between 30 minute scheduled appointments and 30 minute open appointments for walk-ins or warm handoffs from the primary care team. Within this program, a provider is expected to see a number of comorbid psychological and medical conditions and provide psychological interventions to address both mental health and the behavioral components of physical health, working closely with primary care staff to offer interdisciplinary care to address the whole person.

These positions are 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. 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.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Telework: May be available for certain positions.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Authorized. Contact VISN15EDRP@VA.gov for questions. Learn more
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.
• 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements at the time application is reviewed.

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 Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education Requirement - 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 you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; 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). NOTE: 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.

Grade Determination

In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following:

Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level)

(a) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.
(b) Assignment. Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. They may be assigned to any program area. Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist.

Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level)

(a) 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.
(b)Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all 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.

Staff Psychologist GS-13 (Full Performance Level)

(a) Experience. At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level.
(b)Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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.
• 4. Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed.

Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard February 7, 2018 . This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: This position is mostly sedentary and requires walking, kneeling, bending, standing, and light lifting. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

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, resume, 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.