Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. The first area of consideration will be given to current permanent employees of the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. The second area of consideration will be given to current permanent VA employees. All other applicants will be considered thereafter.

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- Provides rapid triage, problem-focused assessments, and time-limited interventions including but not limited to psychoeducation as well as brief individual and group psychotherapy.
- Provides scheduled and impromptu consultative services and psychoeducation regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns to patients and non-mental health staff regarding patients,
- Performs routine brief assessments, including but not limited to the PHQ-9, PCL, AUDITC, GAD-7, etc.
- Provides brief mental health and behavioral interventions that are evidence based, including but not limited to behavioral medicine interventions for tobacco cessation, weight management, coping with chronic illness, sleep hygiene, etc.
- Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center, including entering data into the databases as may required- Performs routine and in-depth mental health evaluations, including intake assessments.
- Provides evidence-based psychotherapy and other therapeutic interventions utilizing VA based guidance and guidelines.
- Uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care.
- Liaisons/advocates on behalf of PCMHI and/or Veteran/caregiver between settings of care, both internal and external to the VA.
- Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members, as needed.
- Independently identifies high-risk patients and connects with needed resources and services, as needed- Consults, collaborates, and coordinates with other staff who provide care to Veteran, routinely consulting with Primary Care Providers and other PACT members about plan of care for patients.
- Reviews relevant data, assesses the data, develops, and implement ideas for improvement.
- Serves as psychologist champion for treatment planning, discharge planning, and psychosocial and psychotherapeutic needs,
- Provides clinical supervision to psychology trainees- Serves as a consultant to one or more Vet Center(s), including but not limited to the Vet Centers located in Detroit, Pontiac, Dearborn, and Macomb- Perform VA police psychological examinations as needed.
- Communicates with National, VISN, Facility-level leadership, and other stakeholders.
- Communicates regularly with the VISN-level PCMHI POCs and other PCMHI Coordinators in the VISN, as well as local mental health and national PCMHI leadership to remain knowledgeable about policies and trends related to PCMHI Serves on Medical Center/Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as assigned by the Supervisor or the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health- Represents psychology on decision-making committees at the Medical Center or Healthcare System, as assigned by the Supervisor or the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health.
- Involvement in training program didactics for trainees of various disciplines and levels, as assigned.
- Other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00a-4:30p
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN10HREDRPSLRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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 #:93041/93042/93043
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

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.
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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
• Education - 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 are specialization program meeting both of the following conditions:
    • a) specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and
    • b) 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.***See Education below
• 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.
• 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.
• Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above:
  • GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement
  • GS-12 Level: at least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 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.
• • GS-13 Level: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license.
  • 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 the 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.

*Experience is only creditable for the Psychologist if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed.

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

Grandfathering Provision. 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).

The full performance level of this position if selected as Psychologist 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: Ability to physically access various treatment settings within the facility. Ability to use computers frequently/continuously throughout the day for data input and communication. Ability to use phone. Position is primarily sedentary, and incumbent must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time. May require light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds) and climbing stairs as needed. Ability to walk up and down steps. Ability to navigate unfamiliar surroundings. Valid driver's license is a requirement as incumbent is required to provide consultation services to one of the Vet Centers located in Detroit, Dearborn, Pontiac, or Macomb County and outreach is a required part of this position. (We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package.)

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.

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.

Part-time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full- time workweek. For example, a psychologist employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Post-Doctoral Degree Fellowships. Postdoctoral fellowships or residencies are training programs in an advanced area of clinical practice. Training as a fellow or resident is considered to be creditable experience on a year-for-year basis.

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.

Applicants will be considered based on the following areas of consideration:

• First Area of Consideration (Facility Employees) - Current, permanent John D. Dingell Medical Center employees.
• Second Area of Consideration (Other VA Employees) - Current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees.
• Third Area of Consideration - US Citizens.