Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. Open to the permanent employees of the Eastern Kansas Health Care System only.

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VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

This position can be located in either Topeka or Leavenworth.

Duties to inclue but not limited to:

Clinical Responsibilities: (40% direct patient care).

• Provides a full range of psychological services, including the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in accordance with the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
• Delivers education to patients, family members, and significant others regarding diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
• Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group therapy.
• Offers consultation to professional staff within the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, as well as community providers, regarding clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment recommendations.
• Develops, implements, and documents individualized psychotherapeutic treatment plans for patients requiring such care.
• Serves independently as a member of the Eastern Kansas Health Care System Medical Staff, with full clinical privileges.
• Assumes full responsibility for psychological assessments, care decisions, and documentation.
• Consults with appropriate medical providers to assess for medical or medication-related contributors to mental disorder symptoms.
• Provides clinical supervision to psychology trainees, including unlicensed GS11/GS12 psychologists.

Administrative Responsibilities: (60% time)

• Supports the Chief of Psychology and SLM in conducting ongoing program evaluation and leading data driven quality improvement initiatives to monitor and enhance program effectiveness.
• Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes).
• Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Chief of Psychology, SLM (or designee) and the facility Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
• Participates in peer reviews, Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations (OPPE), and Focused Professional Practice Evaluations (FPPE).
• Provides broad program management responsibilities to OAA-funded APA-accredited Psychology Internship programs, including leadership in the development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight of a complex program responsible for comprehensive clinical care of Veterans.
• Coordinates training of interns and practicum students by a staff of approximately 40 FTE licensed staff psychologists
• Serves as the Chair of the Psychology Training Council
• Ensures adherence to APA's Commission on Accreditation (CoA) Standards of Accreditation for internship.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for training rotations, in collaboration with operational managers.
• Provides leadership in recruiting trainees, which includes facilitating the APPIC internship matching process.
• Resolves conflict among trainees and training staff, and adjudicates complaints and problems of employees in a timely and effective manner.
• Plans and organizes appropriate continuing education for staff as it pertains to psychology ethics, clinical supervision of trainees, and evidence based treatments that shape psychology practice patterns and performance.
• Initiates and maintains liaisons with associated VA health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services.
• Ensures accurate grid management and timely access of patients assigned to the trainees, in accordance with local and national policies.

Academic/Teaching/Training:
(Possible activities which may include, but not limited to):

• Supports discipline-specific training program and training committee.
• Supports the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students and fellows, as appropriate.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and consultation on staff education and development.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact v15edrp@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Education
  (1) 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 and 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, and 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. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology).
  OR
  (2) 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:
  (a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and,
  (b) the 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 and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards.
  OR
  (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
  AND
• Internships
  (a) 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
  (b) 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
  (c) 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
  (d) 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
  (e) 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. 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

Grade Determinations:
Psychology Program Manager, GS-14

Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines.
2. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.
3. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view.
4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
5. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.

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

Preferred Experience: Experience as a Clinical Training Director

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.

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.