Psychology Program Manager, Mental Health, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA .Psychology Program Managers have broad program management responsibilities for a specific program or programs that are designed to deliver specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components of the facility and that significantly impact the health care provided to veterans.

Duties

The Suicide Prevention Office provides specialized clinical, administrative, and quality assurance oversight for the care of our most vulnerable veterans who carry a high-risk for suicide flag. The organization of services encompasses numerous component parts integral to the appropriate provision of facility-wide suicide prevention services, which subsequently has a significant impact overall for GLA Mental Health Operations and directly effects the overall access of suicide-prevention care for veterans across the vast GLA catchment area. Duties: The incumbent has oversight of various administrative and programmatic resources, as assigned by the Chief of the Suicide Prevention Section, and as such, organizes, directs, administers, and manages assigned aspects of service. Incumbent has responsibility for management of staffing and personnel issues, concerns, education, and performance, including the monitoring of data points related to access to care & productivity of staff that work in the Suicide Prevention Office. Incumbent has responsibility to assist with administrative responsibilities of the Suicide Prevention Office, including strategic planning to ensure the provision of high-quality services to meet the needs of the Veterans being served and planning, and developing and implementing short- and long-term goals and objectives consistent with the program's strategic plan. The incumbent makes major decisions and implements work activities which significantly impact the ability of staff to provide comprehensive services to veterans. Collaborates with the Chief of Suicide Prevention, to ensure the services are adherent to VA directives. Assists the Chief of Suicide Prevention with responses to audits of the facility's suicide prevention efforts, to include visits by the Office of the Inspector General, the Joint Commission, the Institute of Medicine, and others. Assists with responses to external inquiries regarding facility suicide prevention efforts, including tasks emanating from the White House, Congressional inquiries on behalf of constituents, and responses to complaints lodged with external entities, such as the Joint Commission. Incumbent has expertise in Suicide Prevention efforts with veteran populations that qualifies them to provide advice and consultation around the care for high-risk veterans to professionals representing a variety of disciplines throughout GLA catchments area and for community partners. The Suicide Prevention Deputy Chief may provide direct patient care services to veterans within the assigned clinical section/program. Applies advanced professional psychological diagnostic methods and evidence-based intervention strategies to a full range of patient problems in the work setting. Provides patients with elements of care coordination, case management, and other ancillary functions to the provision of professional psychological and team-based services as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Learn more 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: 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 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. Internships: 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. 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. Grandfathering: All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist effective February 7, 2018, 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. All others who did not meet this criteria will be reviewed based on the handbook referenced below. Grade Determinations: 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 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. 2. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. 3. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. 4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. 5. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. 6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. 7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. References: VA Handbook 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G18. PSYCHOLOGY QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0180The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-14 . Physical Requirements: Lift lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above shoulder; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability.

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 Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System 11301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90073 US
• Name: Sherrie Wilkerson
• Phone: 858-522-8585 X3432
• Email: [email protected]