Staff Psychologist (SATP) - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive/EDRP Authorized

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

• The Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATP) Psychologist is administratively within Psychology Service Line within the Mental Health Service Line. The incumbent will provide both face-to-face services as well as tele-mental health services to Veterans located VATVCBHCS facilities and non-VA sites of care. The SATP Psychologist will provide psychological services with attention to delivering Evidenced-Based Psychotherapy (EBP) to Veterans diagnosed within Substance Use Disorder and comorbid mental health disorders. Psychological services may include conducting assessments, delivering psychotherapy (in individual and/or group formats), and provision of consultation to staff regarding Veteran care issues. Clinical Responsibilities: 1. Diagnose all mental disorders using the nomenclature of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS-5). 2. Provide an assessment of each Veteran using the system as set forth in DSM-5. 3. Determine when clinician-administered psychometric testing is necessary and integrate the results of such testing into the report of the examination. 4. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including the use of psychological testing for patients within VATVCBHCS in areas of special interest/expertise. 5. Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnostic interview, review of available records, collateral contact when available, as well as objective, and cognitive tests when indicated. 6. Provides a range of psychological therapeutic interventions with individuals with mental health and medical disorders utilizing empirically supported modalities when indicated. 7. Provides evidence-based interventions for SUD/PTSD, including CPT and/or PE. 8. Consults with and serves as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for, evaluation of, and development of psychological services in VATVCBHCS. 9. May be asked to assist in the selection, training, and supervision staff at lower grade within assigned program area, Psychology Service, or VATVCBHCS. Duties continued in Education section. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment Incentives. Recruitment incentives may be authorized to full-time, part time[,] or intermittent individuals in their first appointment as a Federal employee or to a newly appointed former Federal employee with at least a 90-day break in service Relocation Incentives. Relocation incentives may be authorized to full-time Federal employees who must change worksite[s] and physically relocate to a different geographic area when the approving official determines that without the incentive, it would be difficult to fill the position with a high-quality candidate." Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@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 b…

Qualifications

VA HPT's pending the completion of education or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English Education: To be qualified for a GS-0180 Psychologist you must possess 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, OR 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. 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). OR 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 (a)(1)(D) for a period not to exceed two years from the date…

Education

Duties continued: Academic/Teaching/Training: 1. Serves as a clinical supervisor for psychology pre-doctoral interns, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral level graduate practicum students in psychology and other related disciplines. 2. Prepares and teach seminars/workshops for VATVCBHCS trainees/staff on topics within interest/competency areas. 3. Conducts approved psychological research that supports the mission of VATVCBHCS alone or in collaboration with other professional in VATVCBHCS or affiliated academic institutions. 4. May choose to apply for a faculty appointment at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Accreditation Information: The 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). Verification of accreditation may be made obtained from https://accreditation.apa.org/accreditedrogramshttps://www.pcsas.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/ orhttps://cpa.ca/accreditation/cpaaccreditedprograms/ NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited by American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the APA Accreditation - Home, CPA Accredited Programs - Canadian Psychological Association, or Accredited Programs - PCSAS website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Fed…