The Assistant Chief of Mental Health Service (MHS) is directly responsible for the effective management, functioning, and coordination of patient care services throughout all areas of the medical center MHS staff are assigned. The incumbent works collaboratively with the Chief, MHS and other service line administrative personnel to develop, evaluate and maintain effective mental health services and programming throughout the medical center and in selected community-based settings.

Duties

The service provides extensive outpatient mental health services through the Mental Health Clinic (MHC) including treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder through the PCT, Military Sexual Trauma, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injury, treatment for Serious Mental Illness (SMI)through medication management, evidence-based therapies, couples therapy, neuropsychology evaluations, and Peer Support Specialist services. In addition, the service also offers Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program Rural Area Network Growth Enhancement (MHICM RANGE),Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program including transitional and supportive employment programs, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), Substance Abuse Aftercare, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Program, Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) and Mental Health Emergency Department Walk-In Clinic. Additional services include health promotion and disease prevention, homeless Veteran programs, geriatric services, and community outreach. Duties include, but not limited to: Provides leadership, guidance, and coordination of multidisciplinary staff to ensure the provision of comprehensive and quality services to meet the needs of Veterans served. Goals follow the mission/vision of the Veterans Administration (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), Western North Carolina VA Health Care System and program direction of the Mental Health Service Plans and schedules work in a manner that promotes a smooth flow and even distribution. Coordinates, plans, and schedules with staff, the Section Chiefs, and customers as appropriate. Identifies need for changes in priorities and takes action to implement such changes. Oversees all operational aspects of the MHS including hiring, business operations, strategic planning, development and implementation of policies and procedures, and budget management, and exercises a very wide latitude of independent judgment in these duties. Serves as Coordinator of the MHS Performance Improvement Program. In this capacity, the incumbent works closely with the medical center 's Quality Management (QM) Manager and functions as the liaison between the QM Office and MHS. Provides information and direction to MHS staff regarding performance improvement and accreditation (Joint Commission and GARF) issues, assists in MHS preparation for accreditation visits, and provides timely, thorough, and accurate performance improvement reports to the MHS Chief. Provides leadership in hiring of new staff members for each program, which may include constructing job announcement(s), preparing functional statements or position descriptions, rating applications, interviewing, and selecting final job candidates. Serves on decision-making committees and task forces at the medical center. Conducts diagnostic evaluations by clinical interview, objective and/or projective testing, intellectual assessment, organicity screening, and behavioral observation. Interprets and integrates the findings with all other available patient data and writes these outcomes incomprehensive psychological evaluations. Functions independently as a member of the medical staff, with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Remains thoroughly cognizant of the latest professional techniques and developments in the assigned specialty area and is able to apply them, when suitable to their work. Involvement in the Psychology Training Program and serves as a member of the Psychology Training Committee. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30AM-4:00PM Telework: Ad-hoc; at discretion of Service Chief Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Onnie "David" Green at [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator, for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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. Education Requirement: 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. OR, 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 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. OR, Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. 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). Internship Requirement: 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Minimum Qualifications: Psychologist (Assistant Chief) 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines. Ability to supervise and manage subordinate employees effectively. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Psychologist Assistant Chiefs serve as full assistant to a Service Chief, share the full scope of delegated managerial responsibilities, and serve 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. Examples include but are not limited to assignment to a clinical service, such as a Psychology Service, Mental Health Service, or other clinical or research service area. Within that service, they may be assigned to specific program areas and maybe involved in program evaluation and research activities. Psychologist Assistant Chiefs are responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of the program services assigned to them. The Psychologist Assistant Chief may assure compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements, may monitor staff performance, and may develop and implement programs based upon Veterans' needs and current research findings. Duties include but are not limited to resolving staff conflicts which might interfere with the delivery of services, identifying continuing education and training needs, and other clinical and administrative responsibilities to ensure that the mission of the service and the medical center has been satisfied. They may interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or disciplinary actions when appropriate. They may develop position descriptions and functional statements and are responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area. They may make selections, assign personnel, and serve as a mentor to help employees develop their full potential. The Psychologist Assistant Chief maintains interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals and fosters and maintains community contacts. They may develop and initiate new treatment programs and may develop policies and procedures. Psychologist Assistant Chiefs independently provide psychological services at all levels of complexity and consult with peers and supervisors as appropriate. Preferred Experience: Strong supervision skills References: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18 Physical Requirements: Duties performed require some physical effort such as sitting, standing, driving, walking, bending, typing, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, books, or reports that do not require special physical demands. The work requires typical safety precautions associated with working in the community and mental health care settings, such as, patient physical or verbal interactions, driving a Fleet vehicle, working with office equipment, and avoiding real or potential accidents. The work may also require occasional travel to local area satellite facilities and/or out of town/state for required/suggested training, conferences or meetings.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Christina Trull
• Phone: 828-318-6521
• Email: [email protected]