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. Learn more

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until February 28, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be November 15, 2023, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12187038-24-SA. The incumbent is a full-time psychologist with an emphasis in treatment of substance abuse employed in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) program at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock/North Little Rock, AR. The incumbent is a member of an interdisciplinary treatment staff. This well-integrated team offers a range of services and with an emphasis on evidence-based interventions for Veterans with Substance use disorders. SUD services at CAVHS include Inpatient Detoxification, Outpatient Detoxification, Intensive Outpatient Programming, collaboration with a half-way house as well as a substance abuse residential rehabilitation treatment program, long term aftercare and continuation into the community. The focus is the Veteran and his/her Whole Health. The incumbent primarily dedicates time for individual therapy, group therapy, diagnostic evaluations, and education. There are also opportunities for administration, training and education, and research. The incumbent works hand-in hand with other mental health professionals as part of an integrated team. The SUD program is seen as constantly evolving to include research evidence-based approaches to substance abuse treatment. Some of the primary responsibilities for this position include continuous learning and training in evidence-based approaches to care, the continuing development of the overall SUD program, and contribution to the process for program evaluation. Clinical Care (up to 100% time) - Provides a full range of psychodiagnostics services including appropriate selection of assessment instruments and methods leading to sound diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Provides services based on the results of psychodiagnostics assessment such as intervention development and treatment planning. Is able to incorporate specialized interventions for Veteran's with substance use disorders. - Performs evaluations for veterans with a variety of psychological disorders including, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, pain, and personality disorders with enhanced specialties in substance abuse. - Provides a full range of general therapeutic interventions including: Evidence based individual and family psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or interpersonal therapy within the outpatient and residential settings. Provision of evidence-based psychotherapies such as Motivational Interviewing (MI), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Health Coaching, and/or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the purpose of enhancing health behavior change. - Provides individual evaluation, group therapy, individual therapy, and telemedicine. - Provides clinical interventions specific to treatment of substance abuse. These may include CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Motivational Enhancement, Seeking Safety, or other specialized interventions. - Provides supervision of trainees and unlicensed or mid-level clinical professionals conducting direct clinical care. - Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. - Remains involved in program development, evaluation and/or research activities. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Available (Ad hoc) Virtual: This is a not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD00524F and PD00524F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. 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. 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. 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 (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. 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). Preferred Experience: Experience performing mental health evaluations for a diverse population. Experience providing a full range of therapeutic interventions including diagnostic assessments, suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, evidence-based psychotherapy, and overall care of patients with mental health disorders. Basic Life Support Certification Experience participating effectively in team meetings and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to enhance coordination of comprehensive patient care. Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None above 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, 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. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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 5005/103, Part II Appendix G18, Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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: Heavy lifting heavy carrying (45lb and over), straight pulling, pushing, reaching over shoulder, walking, standing, kneeling, repeated bending, both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13' to 16' to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, both eyes required, depth perception, hearing (aid permitted).(See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services).

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 John L McClellan Memorial Veterans' Hospital 4300 West Seventh Street Little Rock, AR 72205 US
• Name: Sandi Adkins
• Phone: 601-368-4431
• Email: [email protected]