Staff Psychologist (Primary Care Mental Health) - 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

• This vacancy will remain open until filled (open continuous announcement). The first cut-off date is 10/08/2026. Additional applications will be referred as needed. This position located at CBOC- 671BU 7909 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229 which is NW San Antonio, Texas. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties: GS-11 Psychologist, Entry Level is primarily a supervised clinical position in Primary Care, working under a licensed staff psychologist if not yet licensed. Provide diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate for primary care, especially evaluation of emotional/behavioral problems and suicide assessment; use psychological testing under supervision. Provide psychological interventions, emphasizing brief, evidence-based interventions effective in primary care. Provide consultation supporting PCP decision-making and PCP-patient relationships; serve as a resource to other personnel. Facilitate patient and family education appropriate to the setting and presenting issues. Deliver interventions allowing patients to remain with their PCP for their health care needs when clinically appropriate. GS-12 Psychologist, Developmental adds consultation and training to clinical care, with greater independence. Provide diagnostic, evaluation, and intervention services appropriate for primary care, including evaluation and suicide assessment. Perform psychological evaluations for diagnostic clarification and treatment planning using interview, records review, collateral contact, and testing. Provide brief, evidence-based interventions effective in primary care. Provide consultation and training to Primary Care Service Line staff in managing common mental and behavioral health disorders. Provide consultation supporting PCP decision-making; serve as a resource for evaluation and development of psychological services. May serve as clinical supervisor to psychology interns, fellows, and practicum students (under supervision if not licensed). GS-13 Psychologist, Full Performance serves as a Clinical Psychologist within the PCMHI team using the blended model, working with PACT teams. Clinical duties are 50-100% of time, with added academic, program-evaluation, and administrative functions. Independently provide the full range of diagnostic and evaluation services, including suicide assessment, testing, and brief individual/group therapy for mood disorders and medical conditions. Perform psychological evaluations for diagnostic clarification and treatment planning using interview, records review, collateral contact, and testing. Provide the full range of interventions, emphasizing brief, evidence-based care, plus consultation to support PCPs. Provide consultation and training to Primary Care staff; serve as clinical supervisor to interns, fellows, and practicum students. Carry out administrative and program-management duties, including assisting the PCMHI Section Chief with program design, evaluation, and quality improvement; may serve as first-line supervisor. Comply with performance measures and CPRS documentation; represent Psychology Service on committees and serve on task forces related to Integrated Primary Care and Mental Health. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8-4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized 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 an…

Qualifications

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 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 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 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…

Education

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 Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.