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 position serves as the Post Discharge Engagement (PDE) Program Manager Psychologist for the Acute Clinical/Mental Health Intensive Care and Evaluation (ACHIEVE) and Suicide Prevention Engagement and Reintegration (SPEAR) teams within the At Risk Monitoring and Outreach (ARMOR) Program and is the supervisor of these programs at the Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS). The PDE Program Manager has oversight of the SPEAR and ACHIEVE teams which both serve Veterans through as Post-discharge Engagement (PDE) and monitoring, as well as the Guardian Team which works with these teams in the coordination of care for Veterans at increased risk of hospitalization and suicide. The primary responsibilities of the PDE Program Manager is to provide administrative and clinical oversight of these team, along with providing Veterans with Mental Health services who are transitioning from a VA MHRRTP or VA/Community hospital setting to outpatient care, providing education to all and clinical staff regarding risk factors associated with veterans who are discharging from a higher level of care, educating clinical staff regarding safety planning with their patients, networking with community partners, providing programmatic guidance for the ACHIEVE and SPEAR teams, monitoring the PDE SAIL measure, and providing timely and accurate responses to all action items PDE measures. Some of the duties include but are not limited to; Will provide a full range of psychosocial and psychological services within the ACEHIVE program and must possess a thorough knowledge and have experience in the use of mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses. Responsible for mandatory reporting of abuse, neglect or exploitation, patient and family education and individual, marriage, family and group counseling or therapy. Demonstrates knowledge of VA and community resources to meet the complex psychosocial needs of the Veteran population and ensure they are referred to the least restrictive environment that meets the level of care needed. Practices at an advanced level to address all care coordination needs of Veterans followed by the ARMOR Program. Independently deals with crisis effectively uses problem solving skills to assist the Veteran, family, and staff. Provides referral to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. Evaluates his/her practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or organized means and is active in and accepts responsibility for the development and maintenance of professional standards of treatment. Must manage complex tasks that consist of monitoring Veterans, educating and supporting staff, and ensuring appropriate safety measures are in place for at risk Veterans within the Orlando VA Medical Center, and other offsite locations. Assists in planning, establishing and implementing policies and procedures, developing individual and group goals and objectives as well as monitoring, operating, evaluating, coordinating and overseeing the multi-disciplined staff working in these ARMOR Programs. Assist the separate teams in enhanced coordinated care to increase Veteran engagement, decrease Veteran risk levels, and streamline work processes to prevent duplicative efforts being made. Will conduct ongoing intensive reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies. Provides both administrative and clinical supervision to the staff as assigned. Will be expected to set priorities and make assignments according to capabilities of employees and oversee personnel management functions of staff assigned. Will have established guidelines and performance expectations for staff, and clearly communicates them through the formal employee performance management system. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm. However, the selectee may be required to work or travel between any of the locations within Corporate Orlando, including the Lake Nona campus. The selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis, based on patient care needs. Telework: May be available - as determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Psychology Program Manager (Post Discharge Engagement ARMOR Program) #81811F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator ([email protected]) for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicant must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/26/2023. 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. 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. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND 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. 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). 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) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL. Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. NOTE: If psychologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Psychology Program Manager, GS-14 Experience: At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Preferred Experience: Those candidates with experience providing intensive mental health care coordination for Veterans at an elevated risk for hospitalization and suicide, are highly preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18 Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires light lifting, under 15 lbs.; Light carrying, under 15 lbs.; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking, Standing; Both legs required; Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

Must have both Doctoral degree and Internship accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

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 Orlando VA Medical Center 13800 Veterans Way Orlando, FL 32827 US
• Name: Christopher Cacciapaglia
• Phone: (407) 432-5810
• Email: [email protected]