Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees and current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Functions of assigned duties, but not limited to the following:

Administrative/Supervisory (40%)

• Oversight of daily operations and clinical practice management.
• Responsible for program development /evaluation of these programs across CTX MHBM.
• Develop and implement programs, policies and procedures, and monitor outcomes/performance measures that apply to the Recovery Programs.
• Leads a multidisciplinary team that includes psychologists, physicians, physician extenders, social workers, nurses, and other health care professionals and trainees.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the treatment team.
• Ensures timely access to care of patients assigned to the team, in accordance with local and national policies.
• Monitors compliance of team members with VA performance measures.
• Provides clinical supervision, as appropriate.
• Resolves conflicts among team members.
• Ensures that appropriate coverage is arranged for patient care responsibilities.
• Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Psychology Chief/Deputy Chief, Service Line Leader (or designee), Chief of Staff, and/or Facility Director.
• Provides consultation, direct patient care, educational, training, research, and performance improvement activities in which Psychology Service is involved.
• Provides technical advice and assistance regarding all Psychology program areas.
• Has direct administrative and professional supervision of psychology staff assigned to these programs.
• Ensures that Psychologists in the facility meet the requirements of the Psychologist Qualification Standards.
• Assures that functional statements or position descriptions for staff positions under their supervision are accurate and updated.
• Supports the Human Resources management program for their assigned area.
• Ensures that the areas under their responsibility are in compliance with accreditation requirements for VA, Joint Commission, CARF and other required regulatory guidelines.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the SAIL performance measures (e.g., new patient access) assigned to MH&BM.

• Contributes to the gathering of biopsychosocial assessment information.
• Develops of a detailed treatment plan for Veterans engaged in mental health care.
• Provides recovery planning and psychological treatment to Veterans with a wide range of co-occurring disorders, including but not limited to anxiety, PTSD, depression, substance use, and personality disorders.
• Serves at the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) for assigned veterans.
• Provides evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy to veterans.
• Participates as a member of medical center hospital committees as directed
• Serves as a member of the planning group for evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment program and modifying it to better serve the needs of the patient.
• 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 (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes, completing encounters, and signing or co-signing notes)..
• Attends regular Psychology Service staff meetings, Medical Staff meetings, MH&BM Staff meetings and complies with Psychology Service peer review procedures.
• Serves as an EAP provider for brief intervention and referral services for CTX employees.

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.

• 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.

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.
• 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. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body & not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology & school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. OR
  • Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology & 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:
    • Re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program &
    • Specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript &/or certificate documenting completion of re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above & who were employed by the Department of VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards. OR
    • Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND
    • Internships
      • Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & 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 & 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, employee is required to maintain board certification.) OR
      • Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 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. NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard.
• Licensure: Hold a full, current & unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or 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 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.
  • Loss of Credential. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment.
  • Board Certification and Loss of Credential
    • Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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. Board certificate must be current & applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.
    • Loss of Credential. Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid & unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive & Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken & written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

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.