Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The position is located within the Mental Health Department of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Illinois. This is the nation's first fully integrated federal health care facility, integrating Veterans Affairs with the Department of War under a single chain of command. The incumbent performs a variety of duties in a complex 1C medical facility, which is constantly evolving within a highly competitive geographic area. As the Service Chief for Mental Health, the incumbent is responsible for all daily operations of the entire Mental Health Department across all campuses and clinics.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for own panel of patients. Clinical/ Administrative FTE allocation will be determined by policy.
• Responsible for planning, conducting, coordinating, and monitoring the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of patient-centered treatment and rehabilitative services to maximize and restore to the greatest extent possible physical and social functioning.
• Answers patient complaints, PATS and JPRS.
• Responsible for innovative methods to optimize collaboration amongst staff, disciplines, and processes to meet and/or exceed department benchmarks, metrics, key performance indicators, etc.
• Uses an analytical framework to create an environment that facilitates the delivery of care. Coordinates and evaluates integrated programs or demonstrates clinical excellence in management of population groups.
• Provides department level input in the strategic planning, budget, mission, operational planning, and policy development for local and network efforts.
• Utilizes current trends and relevant theories in an analytical framework to design/modify, implement, and measure integrated programs and activities to achieve clinical and administrative goals of the medical center and/or network. Evaluates outcomes against strategic priorities.
• Demonstrates substantial and continuous responsibility for directing and managing an integrated program.
• Consultant to medical center staff and greater community in areas of expertise.
• Provides leadership in addressing ethical issues that impact patients and staff in or beyond the organization and the local health care community.
• Promotes a practice environment that empowers staff to provide compassionate and efficient care.
• Demonstrates a commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) principles and applies EEO principles in all decisions, such as hiring practices.
• Designs, modifies, and implements systems compatible with professional standards and within the mission and the goals of the organization to improve the cost-effective use of resources.
• Aggregates departmental data and participates in the budget process to plan for current, emerging, and future departmental resource requirements.
• Manages the departmental resources (financial, human, material, and/or informational) of a complex program or service in a manner which applies professional standards of practice in the most effective, efficient method resulting in favorable outcomes.
• Ensures that staff complies with infection control practices, such as hand washing and wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment. Demonstrates safe work practices. Complies with safety rules and regulations for safe job performance and fire protection. Ensures that staff practice safe body mechanics, uses mechanical devices, and/or requests help when needed in moving, lifting, or turning patients to prevent injury to patient, self or others. Encourages prompt reporting of all accidents and reporting of unsafe or unhealthy environmental situations/conditions. Corrects safety hazards promptly.
• Conserves departmental resources effectively by using supplies and equipment in a responsible manner. Ensures employees follow appropriate standard operating procedures related to the equipment, devices, and work practices that impact or have the potential to impact the environment.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

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.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR
  [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR
  (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
  Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Additional Requirement: Board certification in specialty (required); Psychiatry (preferred).

Preferred Experience: At least 5 years of experience with clinical practice, Mental Health leadership, and ER/LR experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: To perform in a fully successful manner, the individual must have the physical ability to perform job-related duties which require lifting, standing, bending, transferring, stooping, stretching, walking, pushing, or pulling without assistance from another patient care provider or significant other. A health examination as required by the Employee Health Clinic policy, to include a medical evaluation of motor vehicle operators (refer to Physical Fitness Inquiry for Motor Vehicle Operators OF 345) must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter. There will be intermittent exposure to blood and body fluids. There will be occasional travel to and from the CBOCs.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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.