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 psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. They may be assigned to any program area. Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist. Major duties include but not limited to: The incumbent provides direct mental health and substance abuse services for Veterans and family members or significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment. He/she must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families and groups, utilizing specific techniques designed and empirically supported for this unique population, including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, community reinforcement, twelve step facilitation, psychosocial rehabilitation and contingency management. He/she may serve as the primary professional responsible for conducting daily groups and classes within the residential treatment milieu, establishing a process for issuance of urine drug screens to program residents, coordinating care for patients receiving psychiatric medications, and responding to medical and psychiatric emergencies on the unit. Carries responsibility for cases presenting a wide range of psychosocial and environmental problems. He/she assists and encourages Veteran and significant others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluating the situation, considering alternative courses of action and arriving at plans for using resources to resolve problems. The incumbent demonstrates acceptance, interest, and encouragement and includes the Veteran in their course of treatment and utilizes methods and techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that recognizes the value of the Veterans input in their care. He/she is able to coordinate community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs. He/she independently and/or in collaboration with the treatment team identifies high-risk Veterans and provides case management services. He/she provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. The incumbent makes routine visits to each Veteran in residence to assess his/her environment and provide on-going clinical services. The incumbent receives and completes consults requesting services from interdisciplinary team members and from other mental health professionals and may provide consultation to interdisciplinary team members. Incumbent will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, needs, abilities, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs to optimize the Veteran's functional status. Demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions. Must have an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran and be able to provide current techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population. The initial assessment will be completed as specified by the policy for the assigned work area. An initial patient assessment is required as well as reassessments as defined in policy. The incumbent maintains treatment plans in MH Suite based on clinical assessment for each Veteran which are reviewed quarterly with updates as needed. Treatment plan is completed in conjunction with other members of the treatment team, and achievable treatment goals are set with the Veteran. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Telework: May be authorized at supervisory discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 02112F 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 G18 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: 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]