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 is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 29, 2023 or until these positions are filled. If you are not a current permanent VA employee, Federal employee from another Federal agency or a current/past/upcoming HPT Graduate, you should apply under CBST-12093695-23-TC Major duties of the Staff Psychologist - General Mental Health Clinic include, but are not limited to: Diagnoses mental disorders, conducts psychological assessments, treats mental disorders through a variety of modalities. Provides individual, family, and/or group evidence-based or evidence-informed psychotherapies/interventions. Provides a wide range of care including risk assessment and referral, intake/diagnostic and psychosocial assessments, comprehensive treatment planning, and evidence-based psychotherapy services in a manner consistent with clinical practice guidelines and evidence based practices. Works closely with the Suicide Prevention Coordinators, Behavioral Health Program, inpatient, ER, and specialty mental health programs such as PCT, SDTP, PRRC, MHICM to ensure a seamless transition to appropriate services for Veterans. Reviews the medical record and previous biopsychosocial assessments when the Veteran is referred, consults with the referring provider as needed, uses measurement-based care to assess current symptoms/functioning/treatment response, and provides a thorough treatment plan when a Veteran engages in mental health services. Provides evidence-based psychotherapies and interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Problem Solving Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, functional contextual behavioral science, mindfulness and compassion-based processes, and various psychological mechanisms of change to improve suicide prevention, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief/loss, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and psychological/cognitive/behavioral flexibility. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm; possible evening and Saturday hours Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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. 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 Requirement - 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 -You must submit a transcript showing you were awarded the doctoral degree to receive credit. You 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 am applying for; 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 provide a copy of your transcript, program information and completion date in your resume, copy of current board certification, or 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, as applicable, to receive credit. 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. You must provide an unexpired copy to receive credit. 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: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level) (a) Experience. At least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level. To receive credit, you must list hours worked per week and demonstrate your experience through job tasks in your resume. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience, the candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs in their resume: 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 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. At least 2 years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice. To receive credit, you must list hours worked per week and demonstrate your experience through job tasks in your resume AND submit a copy of your unexpired licensure.(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience, the candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs in their resume:: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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. *Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed. See Education section for continued requirements.

Education

Preferred Experience:
- Provide evidence-based psychotherapies including but not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Problem Solving Therapy (PST), and Collaborative Assessment & Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
- Work in an outpatient Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Team-Base Care using the Collaborative Chronic Care Model (CCCM)
- Adapt technology and computer assisted programs to deliver treatments and improve treatment outcomes

Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18, Psychologist, Qualification Standard dated February 7, 2018.

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 is primarily sedentary, but it may require light lifting, under 15 pounds; light carrying, under 15 pounds; walking, standing, and hearing (aids may be permitted). The work requires emotionally stability, working closely with others and working alone.


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 Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Timothy Countryman
• Phone: 303-330-7566
• Email: [email protected]