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 incumbent of this position serves as a full time Training Director for all psychology training programs within the OKC VA HCS and the Assistant Chief of Psychology Service. The psychologist filling this position will be assigned to Psychology Service and will work closely with Behavioral Health staff as well as other VA Health Care System staff. The Training Director will work closely with the OKC VA HCS Education Service and VA Office of Academic Affairs (OAA). The Training Director will also work closely with Directors of Clinical Training at affiliated academic institutions, whose students are OKC VA health professions trainees. As Assistant Chief, serves as full assistant to a Service Chief, shares the full scope of delegated managerial responsibilities, and serves as the Acting Service Chief in the absence of the Service Chief. They make decisions that affect staff and other resources with wide latitude of control and independent judgment. They may be delegated full administrative and clinical responsibility for planning and directing the staff assignments in a variety of clinical settings. They encourage professional development, create an environment of learning, and serve as a mentor to staff. Major Duties and Responsibilities: Training Director Responsibilities: Oversees the design, implementation, and day to day operations for psychology training programs within OKC VA HCS. Provides information and discusses policy issues with the OKC VA HCS Psychology Training Faculty. Ensures payment of dues to APA and APPIC. Maintains trainee records in accordance with current VA Records Control Schedule and program policy. Updates public information on APPIC directory and online program brochure. Ensures public materials are 508 complaint and in accordance with APA/APPIC requirements. Responsible for overseeing the recruitment and selection of psychology trainees. Provides ongoing program evaluations by gathering Proximal and Distal data through mid-year and exit interviews with health professions trainees, and feedback from Director's meetings and Psychology Faculty meetings. Assistant Chief of Psychology Service Responsibilities: In the absence of, or at the discretion of the Chief, reviews requests for clinical privileges. Recommends approval, limits and/or revocation of clinical privileges in the facility Professional Standards Board. Collaborates with other Service Chiefs, in fostering compliance and improvement regarding VA performance measures and VHA organizational goals. Responsible for the development and oversight of identified performance improvement activities and systems redesign projects for the service and assigned program(s). Develops and implements action plans to improve areas of opportunity in performance measures. Participates in active program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance process. Participates actively in efforts throughout the service to improve employee morale and satisfaction; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts; High Reliability Organization pillars; and employee engagement. These efforts are directed to program managers as well as front-line staff. Contributes actively to retention and recruitment efforts throughout the service. Develops and implements retention and recruitment action plan in coordination with the Chief. Addresses patient complaints and V-signals at the service level in accordance with VA policy, ensuring due diligence in addressing patient complaints, and that complaints are addressed in a timely fashion. Develops and implements action plan to improve customer service, in coordination with the Chief. Clinical Responsibilities: Diagnoses mental disorders. Treats mental disorders with a wide range of patients using a variety of modalities, including: individual, family and group psychotherapy, triage/crisis management, and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions. Conducts psychological assessments. Conducts initial intakes/biopsychosocial assessments and treatment planning in accordance with Joint Commission/VA requirements and service/clinic-level SOP. Practices measurement-based care using the Collect, Share, Act model, in accordance with Joint Commission/VA requirements and service/clinic-level SOP. Other Significant Responsibilities as Assigned: Work Schedule: 08:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Telework: Ad-Hoc may be available upon managerial approval. Functional Statement #: Psychologist - Assistant Chief (Training Director)/PD635-52000-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected] or [email protected] the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA psychologist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. § 7402. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of psychologist in VHA must meet the following: 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. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.) 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. 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 (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. [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 (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. 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. 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. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Psychologist, GS-14 (Assistant Chief) Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines. 4. Ability to supervise and manage subordinate employees effectively. 5. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution. 6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. Preferred Experience: Preferred candidates will have experience and/or knowledge of Psych Assessments and Neuropsychology. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Oklahoma City VA Health Care System 921 Northeast 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 US
• Name: Octavia McGruder
• Phone: 478-272-1210 X2563
• Email: [email protected]