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

This position is a staff psychologist appointment located within the Mental Health Service of the VA Western Colorado Health Care System (VA WCHCS). The incumbent is assigned to the PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) and is a designated military sexual trauma (MST) specialist. The MST Coordinator is tasked with managing all aspects of the MST Program at the Western Colorado Health Care System (to include CBOCs), is responsible to see that Veterans who report MST have the need support and access to needed services in relation to their experienced MST. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including: Individual, couples/family and group psychotherapy in the PCT clinics using empirically supported approaches (e.g., Motivational Interviewing, CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy). Completes in a timely manner all clinical charting and documentation required by the Health System, as appropriate. Completes Local, VISN and National level MST Program reports. Completes timely and accurately "suspense" or "action Due" items related to the MST program and services. Documents and therapeutic interventions for Veterans who have experienced MST. Advocates for needed treatment and related services for Veterans who experienced MST. Educates community partners, VA professional and Non-professional staff regarding MST in the Veteran population. Consults with providers, treatment teams and administration as need in relation to MST issues. Remains up to date on issues, treatments and polices impacting MST within the Veteran population. Serves as Point of Contact for MST at the Western Colorado Health Care System. Provides seminars about MST to trainees for the APA accredited pre-doctoral psychology internship. Serves as a consultant to other Hospital staff and trainees as assigned to assist in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. Provides didactic training regarding approaches for assessing and treating PTSD with MST survivors. Collaborates in the establishment of MST Program monitors and outcome measurements within the PCT Clinic as assigned using a data-driven quality assurance processes as directed. Assists in conjunction with PCT staff, in refining program description documents, works with staff for constant Joint Commission readiness, and leads PTSD Program quality assurance monitoring procedures as assigned. Assists in the development of treatment protocols for patients with PTSD and MST-related concerns. Serves on Mental Health Service, Hospital, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces as assigned. Represents social work on decision-making committees at the Hospital as assigned. Represents the Hospital at professional/program community group/events and committees as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 57599A, 575600A, 575601A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized GS-13 only Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

***This is an open continuous announcement until September 29, 2023. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** 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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. ? 7403(f). 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. 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; & 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 &/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 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internships: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & 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 & 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 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 &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. Licensure: Hold a full, current, & 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. Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date (Feb. 7, 2018) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education & licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. NOTE: If psychologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-11 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. 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, & Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of & ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to design & implement effective treatment strategies. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects. 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 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, & Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of, & ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. Ability to provide professional advice & consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of clinical research literature. Preferred Experience: Previous experience providing evidence-based treatments (e.g., CPT, PE) for survivors of sexual trauma. Previous program management/development. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18The 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 of the psychologist is largely office based and in a sedentary setting. No manual labor is required above ordinary situations. Incumbent must be capable of participating in emergency drills and evacuations. Incumbent must be capable of using a computer given that all clinical charting is electronic.

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 VA Western Colorado Health Care System 2121 North Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501 US
• Name: Cory Carter
• Phone: 702-791-9000 X15094
• Email: [email protected]