Staff Psychologist (BHIP)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Child-care subsidy

Retirement benefits

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a psychologist at the Alaska VA Healthcare System. The role involves conducting psychological assessments, treatment planning, and providing evidence-based therapies to veterans. A doctoral degree in psychology and board certification are required.

This position emphasizes both individual and group interventions, aiming to improve the mental health and quality of life for military veterans.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-accredited program.
• Completion of an accredited internship.
• Board certification required for certain positions.

Responsibilities

• Conduct psychological assessments and diagnoses.
• Provide therapies and interventions for mental health.
• Develop treatment plans in collaboration with a team.

Skills

Board certification

Psychological assessment

Evidence-based treatments

Patient care documentation

Education

Doctoral degree in psychology

Tools

Patient Management Software

Job description

Summary

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 a complete review of the EDRP application. Incentive authorized.

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. (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.
• 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.
• NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard.
• Board certification (1) Board certification.
• Persons hired to psychology positions in the 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.
• The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.
• 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.
• Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 – Part II – Chapter 3 – section A – paragraph 3j.
• 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: Staff psychologist – GS‑13 experience.
• At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist – with at least one year equivalent to the GS‑12 grade level.
• Demonstrated knowledge – skills – and abilities.
• In addition to the experience above – the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: knowledge of – and ability to apply – professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health.
• Knowledge of clinical research literature.
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS‑13.
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS‑11 to GS‑13.
• Physical requirements: Light lifting – under 15 pounds.
• Use of fingers.
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4.
• Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other.
• Hearing (aid may be permitted).
• Emotional/stability.
• Environmental factors: Outside and inside.
• Dry atmospheric conditions.
• Working closely with others and working alone.

Duties

• Total rewards of an allied health professional – the psychologist in the Social and Behavioral Health Service (S&BHS) at the Alaska VA Healthcare System (Alaska VAHCS) conducts psychological and/or neuropsychological assessment – diagnoses and treats mental disorders.
• The BHIP (Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program) psychologist position is housed within the Mental Health Service at the Alaska VA Healthcare System (Alaska VAHCS) and the primary duties are associated with outpatient S&BH service.
• BHIP clinical responsibilities: Provides psychological assessment – triage – intervention – education – and consultative services consistent with training and expertise related to mental health and behavioral medicine concerns of varying complexity in an outpatient setting.
• Delivers a full range of psychological interventions with a strong emphasis on time‑limited – evidence‑based treatments.
• Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy and counseling/education to veterans and family members – as clinically indicated.
• Conducts assessments appropriate to the individual patient – including evaluating high‑risk factors – acuity – and need for services – with attention to the implications of test results for a veteran's real‑world function and successful treatment/management of health problems with an emphasis on behavioral health factors associated with improved quality of life.
• Develops comprehensive treatment plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members documenting patient‑generated concerns and goals – measurable objectives – and interventions for clinical treatment.
• Employs patient‑reported outcome measures to inform treatment plan (measurement‑based care) and adjusts interventions based on changing needs – response to interventions – and to improve outcomes.
• Complies with all national and local CPRS documentation procedures and timeliness standards for documentation including completion of patient encounters – clinical reminders – treatment plans – and discharge summaries.
• Provides expert consultation to other BHIP interdisciplinary members and healthcare providers within the Alaska VAHCS and Vet Centers – and coordinates care with community providers following HIPAA and VHA directives related to release of information practices to support psychosocial recovery of the person served.
• Functions independently as a member of the Social and Behavioral Health Service at the Alaska VAHCS with full clinical privileges.
• Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings – patient care decisions – and documentation.
• Teaching and training: Provides consultation and training to S&BHS – medical center – and community in the identification and management of common behavioral health conditions.
• Assists in the ongoing improvement of the psychology training program.
• May supervise pre‑doctoral psychology trainees (or graduate psychologists) and may participate in the training of other disciplines (e.g. – social work interns – psychiatry residents – medical students – and nursing students) as appropriate and within scope of practice.
• Participates in education/CME lectures – research – specialty care programs/clinics – and collaborates in community outreach/educational activities as assigned by the chief of psychology.
• Work schedule: 8 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.
• Recruitment incentive (sign‑on bonus): Authorized.
• Permanent change of station (relocation assistance): Not authorized.
• EDRP authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact [e-mail] – 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 be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA insurance. Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Telework: Not available.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Permanent change of station (PCS): Not authorized.