Clarification from the agency

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The incumbent serves as a psychologist and serves in a full-time capacity within the Mental Health Service (MHS) at the John D Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit. The psychologist will work as a member of the Rehabilitation and Recovery Section, providing care to Veterans through the Transitions partial hospitalization program (PHP)and/or Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC). The incumbent will mainly provide individual and group psychotherapy and will also likely provide psychological assessments, couples/family therapy, intake assessments as well as some program management. Care will be expected to be delivered mainly in person and, at times, through VA Video Connect (VVC) to the Veteran's home or other safe location. Patients will be presenting with a broad spectrum of mental health, emotional, and behavioral presentations, often comorbid and including but not limited to schizophrenia and other psychoses, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), personality disorders, and substance use disorders. Given the nature of the care, a strong focus on engaging Veterans in recovery-based care is required. The Transitions program is an intensive short-term program that assists Veterans in developing coping skills and stabilization strategies to aid in achievement of their recovery goals. The PRRC is a curriculum-based program designed specifically for Veterans with serious mental illness. Over several months Veterans learn the skills that are necessary for defining and realizing their self-chosen mental health recovery goals. The incumbent may also provide clinical supervision for psychology trainees. The standard location of work will be where Rehabilitation and Recovery MH programs are generally located, which is at the John D Dingell VA Medical Center main facility and the VALOR Center in Detroit, located approximately 2 miles away from the main campus.

Duties include:

• Provides a full range of biopsychosocial diagnostic services including psychological testing and assessments as well as neuropsychological screening
• Performs routine and in-depth mental health and psychological evaluations
• Provides evidence-based psychotherapy and other therapeutic interventions utilizing VA based guidance and guidelines
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions for patients, including individual, couples, and group psychotherapy and uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care
• Provides clinical care coordination and case management of patients as appropriate
• Provides patient and caregiver education, both in individual and group formats
• Assesses the need for referral to other mental health services, including higher levels of care, concurrent care, and aftercare
• Serves as a member of an interdisciplinary team
• Consults, collaborates, and coordinates with other staff who provide care to Veteran
• Provides behavioral expertise, education, and clinical guidance to Transitions and/or PRRC staff in the management of various psychiatric disorders
• Monitors the efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, quality of services offered within the program area
• Reviews relevant data, assesses the data, develops, and implement ideas for improvement
• Serves as psychology champion for treatment planning, discharge planning, and psychosocial and psychotherapeutic needs
• Completes comprehensive Veteran-centered, recovery-focused treatment plans and updates as appropriate/required
• Provides clinical supervision to psychology trainees
• Completes clinical reminders
• Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance processes, in particular, monitoring outcome measures and metrics.
• May provide didactic training/education for trainees
• Involvement in the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, fellows and other graduate or post-graduate trainees, as appropriate.
• Serves on Medical Center or 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.
• Represents the Medical Center or Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees.
• Perform VA police psychological examinations as needed.

Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible:Available
Telework: May be available on ad hoc basis, based upon needs of agency
Functional Statement #: 916950
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidate
EDRP Authorized: Eligible
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.
• 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).
• 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.
• Possession of current and valid driver's license is a requirement as incumbent may be required to provide transportation to program events for Veterans, when incumbent is also attending program event.

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 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 respecialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the respecialization 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.
• Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following:
  • 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, and are able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
    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.
  • GS-13 Level: at least 2 addition years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice:
    1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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.

*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, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS11 to GS13.

Physical Requirements: Requires ability to access various treatment settings within the facility. Ability to use computers frequently throughout the day for data input and communication. Ability to use the phone. Position is primarily sedentary, and incumbent may be required to sit for prolonged periods of time. May require light lifting and carrying (under 10 pounds) and climbing stairs as needed. Possession of current and valid driver's license is a requirement as incumbent may be required to provide transportation to program events for Veterans, when incumbent is also attending program event. Ability to navigate unfamiliar surroundings.

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, résumé, 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.