This position serves as the Chief of Psychology/Training Director for the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS). This position reports directly to the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health (ACOS MH). The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System is a 1B complexity medical facility that treats over 55,000 Veterans annually with almost 13,000 Veterans receiving mental health care in 7 CBOCs and a busy main campus.

Duties

The SAVAHCS has 31 FTE psychologists fulfilling multiple roles throughout the facility and integrated into multiple programs. Our psychology training program consists of 4 interns and 1 post-doctoral fellow. Duties include, but are not limited to: The incumbent is responsible for providing oversight for the professional practice and clinical supervision of psychologists throughout the SAVAHCS and has responsibility/accountability on issues affecting the discipline of psychology. Serves as the senior clinical expert with regards to the practice of psychology. Develops, maintains, and enforces policies and procedures regarding the practice of psychology. Develops, maintains, and enforces performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements as needed. Is actively involved in the recruitment, hiring, retention and on-going supervision of psychologists throughout the SAVAHCS regardless of position. Ensures efficient operation of psychology services, including defining productivity standards, budget, and oversight of community referral expenditures. The incumbent is responsible for both disseminating and gathering information relevant to psychologists working throughout the facility regardless of the Service Line in which the psychologist works. Oversees the psychology clinical pertinence reviews for the facility, privileging (monitoring state licensure, developing privilege list, serving as a peer reviewer as needed,) representing psychology at the Credentials Committee, and serving on the local psychology credentials board if needed. Works with the ACOS for MH, MHS Senior Leadership Team, and/or the Mental Health Executive Council to determine long range and strategic plans for the MHS and the SAVAHCS, especially with regards to psychological services. Provides leadership with objective, independent assessments and recommendations for policy, operational, and administrative issues and initiatives requiring decision and action. The Matrixed Psychologists Team consists of Home-Based Primary Care, Community Living Center, Pain Clinic, Polytrauma, Southwest Blind Rehabilitation, Oncology, Neuropsychology, and the American Psychological Association Accredited psychology training programs (internship and post-doctoral.) This team consists of 9 GS-13 psychologists, 4 psychology interns, and 1 post-doctoral fellow. This team is the backbone of specialty mental health treatment at SAVAHCS. Its members manage complex patients daily and assists other healthcare providers in managing this patient population through continuing education opportunities and consultations. The incumbent directs all clinical and administrative activities of the programs for which he/she provides direct supervision, including strategic planning, human resource management, and program management and evaluation, assuring that the clinical and administrative functions are integrated to provide optimum utilization of resources. The incumbent administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to the patients. He/she develops, implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services. He/she serves as the Psychology Training Director and assures the maintenance of American Psychological Association Accreditation of the Programs and to achieve the highest quality of training for Psychology interns and Post-Doctoral Fellows. The Psychology Training Director (TD) has broad program management responsibilities for all Psychology Training Programs across the SAVAHCS. These duties include the day-to-day operation and management of the organized, accredited, and VACO-OAA sponsored training programs at the Doctoral Internship and Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Residency levels. Additionally, is responsible for the WOC Psychology Practicum Program when operational. The Psychology Training Programs are embedded in the nature of the SAVAHCS. The Psychology Doctoral Internship program currently includes 4 interns (all 4 are VACOOAA funded). The Internship Program positions are located at the SAVAHCS. The Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Residency program currently includes 1 resident (VACO OAA funded). The Residency Program currently consists of 1 position, with an emphasis on trauma treatment. The Psychology Practicum Program currently includes externs (all WOC) at the SAVAHCS. In summary, the TD is currently responsible for 5 paid trainees and up to 2 WOC trainees covering 3 distinct levels of training with the possibilities of expansion as needed. 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. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. Education (1) 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, (2) 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, (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND, Internships: (a) 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, (b) 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, (c) VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR, (d) 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, (e) 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. 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. 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: Senior Psychologist (Service Chief), GS-15 Experience. At least four years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to supervise and manage a large group of professional staff effectively. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with supervisors from other units. Ability to accurately apply the qualification standards, assesses the potential of current and prospective employees, and promotes their professional development. Ability to develop appropriate productivity standards for professional staff, often across multiple program lines. Knowledge of the goals and objectives of the medical center and VISN and ability to communicate these to subordinates. Preferred Experience: 5 years of leadership/supervisory experience leading highly integrated, multi-disciplinary teams of health care professionals 5 years of in program management, development, and evaluation to include budget and strategic planning Highly-skilled, professional psychologist with a wide range of clinical skills to include psychological assessments, suicide risk assessments, and evidence-based treatments Prior experience as a Psychology Training Program Director Prior experience taking a program through accreditation, such as Joint Commission or CARF References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II appendix G18, Psychologist Qualification Standards, GS-180, Veterans Health Administration. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary with prolonged periods of sitting. The work requires moderate lifting, carrying, pushing, standing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; ability to read without strain; ability to hear the whispered voice with or without hearing aid; emotional & mental stability.

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 Tucson VA Medical Center 3601 South Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ 85723 US
• Name: Kimberly Ross
• Phone: 858-665-1906
• Email: [email protected]