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

The Staff Psychologist - Pain Program will be a member of the Cheyenne Veterans Affairs Health Care System (CVAHCS), in the Pharmacy Service Line providing comprehensive, interdisciplinary services within the Cheyenne VA Pain Program to veterans presenting with clinical needs related to pain management. In addition to psychotherapy interventions, the psychologist provides psychological evaluation, behavioral consultation, couples and family therapy, and group interventions. Duties within the Pain Program could include direct service provision of trainees or other staff as needed. Major duties of the position include: Clinical Responsibilities: The psychologist functions as a primary Mental Health provider within assigned treatment teams, providing Mental Health prevention, assessment, treatment, management, and professional consultation services. Specific duties include: Provides screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health and primary behavioral health conditions, with an emphasis on the application of time-limited, evidence-based approaches as they apply to conditions related to chronic pain. Assesses and provides treatments for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, and excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs (for which the patient may have a lower-than-normal tolerance due to their medical conditions and the potential for negative interactions with prescribed medication). Provides psychological prevention services to patients at significant risk for psychological problems. Provides services to the families of veterans with chronic pain, when such care is directly related to the overall treatment plan for the veteran and will allow better care for the veteran. For example, family members may be trained to better support the veteran's efforts to manage their pain. Provides clinical services through the use of Tele-Mental Health/Tele-home technology. Provides screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or dementia assessment is needed. Performs capacity/competency assessments when there are questions about a patient's ability to make medical decisions, perform other specific functions, or live independently. Provides individual and group interventions to support patients that are coping with any aspect of chronic pain; interventions can include psychoeducation, psychotherapy, and other psychosocial interventions. Provides effective interventions with couples or families, when appropriate, to relieve relationship difficulties. Consultation Services: Provides consultation to program staff where assigned, nursing and primary care physicians, and Mental Health professionals concerning assessment findings and treatment plans for patients. This consultation is in the service of ensuring that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the provider team in the pain program setting. Administrative responsibilities: Completes all mandatory training requirements expected of Cheyenne VA employees. Assists supervisor and Pharmacy Chief in the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, established by facility leadership and service lines where work is assigned. Academic/Teaching/Training: Responsible for the self-development, mandatory training, and education necessary to maintain licensure, stay current with the practice of Pain Management and Joint Commission standards, increase professional competence, and meet facility training requirements. Collaborates with the Pain Program Manager, and Chief, Pharmacy Service to promote learning experiences and improve performance levels of Pain Management Service personnel. Provides consultation and training to Cheyenne VA staff in the enhancing, maintaining, and supporting active screening and treatment of chronic pain and related syndromes and enhance patient self-management of chronic pain to prevent secondary complications and improve long-term outcomes and enhance quality of life. Preferred Experience: Pain Psychology, including but not limited to skills in CBT for Chronic Pain, ACT, Mindfulness/MBSR, Motivational Interviewing as it relates to Health Behavior Change, Biofeedback, and/or Clinical Hypnosis. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Hybrid telework/face to face modality may be considered with supervisor review and approval, depending on needs of the clinic. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 54443-O, 54444-O, 54445-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected] or 307-433-3744, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Basic 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. 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 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; AND 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 re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internships (See below) 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. 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, 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. Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e. degree and internship requirements), licensure/certification. Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level) 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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) Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103, PART II, APPENDIX G18 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions.

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 Cheyenne VA Medical Center 2360 East Pershing Boulevard Cheyenne, WY 82001 US
• Name: Carrie Konowicz
• Phone: 303-202-8633
• Email: [email protected]