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. 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 Psychologist provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic assessment, therapeutic and psycho-educational interventions as well as consultative services. This is accomplished in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team and members of the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) team in the Geriatric Research, Education & Clinical Center (GRECC) located at the Home Base Primary Care (HBPC) in Huntsville, AL and Guntersville, AL Performs or arranges for diagnostic and/or psychometric assessment as needed Conducts an initial assessment of the patient's overall life situation and documents an initial diagnosis and individualized treatment plan, revising them when necessary. Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with patients and provides specialized individual and group-based empirically supported intervention methods for mental health-related conditions Provides and monitors services to patients with severe stress symptoms, requiring special expertise and continual assessment and clinical documentation of the psychosocial status, treatment, and rehabilitation progress, including follow-up treatment, crisis intervention when necessary, and serving as a patient advocate when appropriate. Provides consultation regarding patient problems in area of specialized knowledge, including anxiety disorders and the psychological and vocational factors affecting patient care and treatment; - provides behavioral expertise, education, and clinical guidance to GRECC staff in the management of patients; Assesses and coordinates with providers within Geriatric Research, Education & Clinical Center whether other interventions such as psychiatric, medical or palliative care are required Responsible for accurate, timely and appropriate completion of clinical patient care documentation Routinely searches literature relevant to combat related stress conditions and their treatment, reviews and translates research into practical interventions for improved patient treatment outcomes May function as a principal, co-principal, or collaborative investigator, proposing investigations, coordinating their conduct, recruiting subjects, reviewing data, and submitting findings in publishable form. Participates in the policy making, goal setting, and treatment service planning processes .of GRECC programs. Participates in quality assurance and performance improvement activities of the division and of the Medical Center. Participates in and meets the requirements of the Psychology Service Professional Standards Board as appropriate. Maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and skills by involvement in appropriate continuing education activities. Serves on, or chairs councils, committees, or other work groups at the direction or .approval of the Clinical? Director, GRECC Team. Teaches and/or supervises psychology interns and psychology practicum students as appropriate. Provides educational experiences including in-service education for psychology staff and trainees. and other Medical Center staff, as appropriate Designs, conducts, reports, or otherwise supports research activities relevant to area of . expertise and the continuum of care within the division. Designs and/or implements the evaluation of treatment efforts and programs. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am - 4:30 CT Telework: Not Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: FS#000000/Psychologist Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Tammy Coates [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. NOTE: This applies to past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professions Trainees (HPT) only. VA HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or admitted to the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC). 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: 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 - 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 applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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. Internship Requirement - 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. VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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. Licensure. Applicants 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. VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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. 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). 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: GS-13: Applicants must have at least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level to include experience diagnosing mental disorders, conducting psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treating mental disorders through a variety of modalities, providing adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may also include research. A two year post-doctoral fellowship or residency may substitute two years of specialize experience. VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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. Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Preferred Experience: Experience in Home Care Experience in both institutional and non institutional care References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13 Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 lbs.); light carrying (under 15 lbs.); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking (intermittent); standing (intermittent); hearing (aid permitted); clear speech. The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending and carrying of light items like papers or books. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]