Staff Psychologist (PCMHI)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a psychologist to provide integrated mental health services in a primary care setting. The role includes depression and PTSD screening, brief evidence-based interventions, and collaboration with PCPs to improve veteran care.

The selected candidate will participate in the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) and may engage in telework on an ad-hoc basis per policy. Work schedule is standard hours with in-person obligations.

Qualifications

• Must have Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA/PCSAS/CPA accredited program.
• Licensure as psychologist in the United States or eligible for licensure per VA policy.

Responsibilities

• Perform screening for depression, PTSD, substance use and other psychiatric conditions in primary care.
• Provide evidence-based interventions and brief treatments for mental health issues.
• Engage in motivational interviewing to encourage use of mental health services.
• Collaborate with medical staff to educate and support adherence to guidelines.

Skills

Screening for mental health disorders

Motivational interviewing

Psychoeducational interventions

Education

Doctoral degree in psychology (APA/PCSAS/CPA)

Job description

Summary

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

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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English Education: 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 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and - 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
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• AND Internships: 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
• 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
• 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-11 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• Staff Psychologist - GS-12 Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11)
• Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 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 a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
• 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
• 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
• References: VA Handbook 5005/103 - Part II - Appendix G18 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: Work is primarily sedentary
• May require prolonged standing - moderate walking - and manual dexterity
• Requires carrying light items such as books - files - or laptop computer.

Duties

• Major duties include but not limited to: Responsible for providing screening for depression - excessive substance use - PTSD - cognitive limitations and other psychological disorders for patients in the primary care setting
• Provide brief evidence based interventions for a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems including depression - anxiety - problem drinking and other addictive disorders
• motivational interviewing to encourage patient's use of additional mental health services when needed
• and psychoeducational interventions as needed
• Responsible for monitoring patients - providing education and support - influencing adherence to guidelines by providing "on-time - on-target" information to primary care physicians - and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions
• Will provide telehealth services based on service need and/or veteran preference
• Diagnose mental disorders - conduct psychological and/or brief neuropsychological assessments - provide brief treatment for mental disorders through a variety of modalities - and provide adjunctive rehabilitation-oriented interventions for the treatment of medical disorders and disabilities
• The modalities include but are not limited to individual - group - and family psychotherapies and other interventions such as biofeedback - hypnosis - and environmental interventions
• Consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues
• Involved in the training of psychology practicum students - interns - and postdoctoral fellows and trainees in other disciplines such as medicine - nursing - social work - rehabilitation and others
• Administratively and clinically reports to the Supervisor - PCMHI as the first line supervisor
• The psychologist exercises independent judgment in the practice and provision of psychological services (clinical care - consultation - and education)
• Consults with peers
• the PCMHI Supervisor
• and the ACOS - Mental Health Service - as needed
• The ACOS - Mental Health Service and Lead Psychologist act as the approving official for the psychologist - to ensure adherence to professional standards of the practice of psychology as well as fulfillment of responsibilities for training psychology interns
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Or This position is eligible for telework on an Ad- Hoc Basis per agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates EDRP Authorized: (Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.) Contact [e-mail] - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required