Staff Psychologist (PCT/PTSD)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a psychologist for the BHCL PTSD Clinical Program (PCT) in the Outpatient Specialty Section. The clinician conducts diagnostic and psychosocial assessments, consult management and triage, and delivers individual and group psychotherapy aligned with program needs.

The role requires doctoral- level psychology training, APA/CPA-accredited internship, and a valid U.S. license.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA/CPA accredited program.
• APA/CPA approved internship completed.
• Full current license to practice psychology in the US.
• Temporary graduate psychologist option allowed if supervised by licensed psychologist.
• internship requirements and licensure expectations per VA policy.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychodiagnostic assessments and treatment planning.
• Deliver individual and group psychotherapy for PTSD.
• Perform triage and consult with PCT team and section staff.
• Participate in program development, evaluation, and research activities.
• Provide telehealth services as certified by VA guidelines.
• Attend organizational meetings and manage scheduling and documentation.

Skills

Professional psychological treatments

Treatment design and implementation

PTSD evidence-based therapies

Clinical research awareness

Telehealth provision

Education

Doctoral degree in psychology (APA/CPA accredited)

Internship completed in a program approved by APA/CPA

License to practice psychology in US

Job description

Summary

The primary function of the BHCL PTSD Clinical Program (PCT) position in the Outpatient Specialty Section is to serve as a clinician in the PCT who provides diagnostic and psychosocial assessment - consult management and triage - and individual and group psychotherapy in line with programmatic needs. The PCT psychologist will work closely with the Section Chief - PCT team staff - and other Specialty Section staff to ensure that Veteran needs within the section are addressed.

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: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• 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 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
• Loss of Credential
• A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation - which may result in termination of employment
• At the discretion of the appointing official - an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 (Developmental Level) 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
• GS-13 (Full Performance - Level) Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the requirements listed above - candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed below
• GS-11: None beyond basic requirements
• GS-12:1
• 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-13:1
• Knowledge of - and ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the 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
• References: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard GS-0180.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: The work requires the psychologist to be mobile throughout the medical center as needed - involving standing - walking - bending - pushing - and lifting (moderately heavy)
• The psychologist should be capable of prolonged standing/walking and be physically capable of pushing equipment - wheelchairs - and patient stretcher.

Duties

• Major duties include but are not limited to: Provides a full range of psychodiagnostics services including appropriate selection of assessment instruments and methods leading to sound diagnosis and treatment recommendations
• Provides services based on the results of psychodiagnostics assessment such as intervention development and treatment planning
• Performs evaluations for veterans with a variety of psychological disorders including substance abuse/dependence - affective disorders - anxiety disorders - psychotic disorders - and personality disorders with additional knowledge in PTSD desired
• Remains involved in program development - evaluation and/or research activities
• Provides administrative duties including: Scheduling of Veterans and related issues
• Returning Veterans' phone calls
• Report writing
• Attending organizational meetings
• Consult triage
• In addition to outpatient care provided on-site - psychologists must be certified in the provision of telehealth forms of care - including facility-to- facility and home telehealth services
• Provides a full range of psychodiagnostics services including appropriate selection of assessment instruments and methods leading to sound diagnosis and treatment recommendations
• Provides services based on the results of psychodiagnostics assessment such as intervention development and treatment planning
• Provides a full range of PTSD therapeutic interventions including individual - group and evidenced based psychotherapy
• Provision of evidence-based psychotherapies such as Prolonged Exposure (PE) - Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Motivational Interviewing (Ml) for the purpose of enhancing health behavior change and treatment of psychological problems related to PTSD is a requirement of this position
• Performs evaluations for veterans with a variety of psychological disorders including substance abuse/dependence - affective disorders - anxiety disorders - psychotic disorders - and personality disorders with additional knowledge in PTSD desired
• Remains involved in program development - evaluation and/or research activities as requested by administrative supervisor
• Provides administrative duties including scheduling of Veterans and related issues - returning Veterans' phone calls - report writing - attending organizational meetings - consult triage
• In addition to outpatient care provided on-site - psychologists must be certified in the provision of telehealth forms of care - including facility-to-facility and home telehealth services
• Upon approval of the Chief of Staff and Education committee clinicians may apply for a percentage of time spent in formal academic activities related to academic appointments at the University of New Mexico or similar approved institutions
• Upon approval of the Chief of Staff and Research Service clinicians an additional percentage of time spent in formal research activities may be approved
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m
• to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• work schedule but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service
• Compressed/Flexible: May Be Authorized 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)
• 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 401K 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) Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Telework: Not available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.