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

Staff Psychologist provides clinical services for primary care patients. S/he conducts brief psychological functional assessment and/or cognitive screening that provides diagnostic impression, case formulation and treatment plan. Provides brief follow-up treatment that is supported by evidence -based intervention protocols for the treatment of mild to moderate emotional and medical disorders and disabilities. The modalities include but are not limited to individual, group, and other interventions such as cognitive-behavior therapy and motivational interviewing. Staff psychologist consults with primary care staff regarding behavioral health issues identified in the primary care and specialty medicine populations. S/he may be involved in the training of psychology practicum students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows and trainees in other disciplines such as medicine, nursing, social work, rehabilitation and others. They may also be involved in service -related services that facilitate the operation of the health care system such as Employee Assistance Counseling, VA Police Psychological evaluations, and forensic evaluations. Major duties include but not limited to: Provides brief functional assessments and longer comprehensive assessments. Provides brief therapy follow-up and traditional Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) treatment protocols (e.g. CBT-CP, CBT-I). Reviews assessments completed by others, and obtains missing information from providers, patients, and medical records. Administers measurement-based care screening measures. Completes mental health clinical reminders including suicide screening at visit. Completes comprehensive suicide risk assessment for patients who screen positive in clinics to which incumbent is assigned. Determines the appropriate level of care need for patients not currently receiving mental health treatment and makes appropriate referrals for clinical services available through the medical center and local community. Provides clinical interventions. These interventions include individual and group psychoeducational interventions. Contacts patients through written correspondence, telephone calls, telehealth (i.e. video tele-conferencing, VVC) and in-person contacts. Available to provide joint visits with M.D. and patient and/or family. Assists medical staff with psychoeducational interventions targeted at pain management, sleep, treatment adherence issues and other medical outcomes. Provides coverage for other facility PACT/Health psychology sites as needed. Provides emergent mental health services, per clinic protocol which, on rare and unique occasion, may include initiating 5150 holds and managing other mental health related legal issues. Collaboratively develops and follows site specific standard operating procedure for potential hospitalizations that take PCMHI access into consideration. Participates in regular PACT/Health psychology meetings and activities. Participates effectively as an active member of an interdisciplinary professional team. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Completes required VA TMS including telehealth and VVC modules. Maintains and extends clinical competencies by completing at least one workshop/VA EBP rollout in area of CBT-CP and CBT-I or another modality relevant to his/her caseload. Provides clinical supervision to: Psychology trainees including interns and postdoctoral fellows Supports the Psychology Service training program as needed by serving on committees, presenting at seminars and other activities. Provides training to program staff and other health care providers, as needed. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Telework: May be available at supervisory discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 02102F. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not 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. Education: (1) 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 (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: (a) the respecialization 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. NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the respecialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. OR (3)Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship: (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 (pre-1979) 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. 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. Please indicate clearly on your cv/resume or cover letter what your current licensure status is, and if unlicensed where you are in the process of obtaining your license.(e.g., "Passed EPPP 6/2020, CA state exam scheduled 10/15/21") 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:GS-11 Staff Psychologist (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 Staff Psychologist (Developmental Level) Experience. At least 1 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance Level) Experience. At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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 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: This position requires moderate lifting and carrying, use of fingers, reaching above shoulders, and hearing (aid permitted).

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 Palo Alto VA Medical Center 3801 Miranda Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 US
• Name: Tyler Jennings
• Phone: 775-486-3377
• Email: [email protected]