This staff psychologist position is organizationally located at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System in the Behavioral Health Service Line with clinical assignment to the Tele Geriatric Evaluation and Management team. The dedicated Tele GEM Psychologist, in addition to being a core member of the Tele GEM IDT team, assists Veterans, their families and caregivers by providing comprehensive geriatric care primarily through direct patient care activities.

Duties

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. The Tele GEM psychologist provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services via telehealth modalities including psychological and validated cognitive assessment procedures. Uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing measurement-based, high-quality care. Conducts risk assessment as indicated. 2. Provides a full range of evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions including behavioral management strategies, individual and family psychotherapy, and psychoeducational approaches. 3. Provides clinical services via telehealth technology including telephone visits, CVT, CCHT, VVC, MyHealtheVet (MHV), and Secure Messaging (SM). Face to face visits are conducted as needed. 4. Identifies clinical issues impacting the Veteran's/caregiver's ability to achieve optimal outcomes. Reinforces and provides psychoeducation to the Veteran and caregivers regarding findings and recommendations made in collaboration with the Tele GEM team members. 5. Assists in the development of an individualized clinical plan of care in collaboration with the Veteran/family & IDT team during the Tele GEM team meeting for each Veteran. Coordinates the process of care with the other interdisciplinary and PACT team members, and other community resources and services to help maximize efficiency and improve clinical outcomes. 6. Participates in the Tele GEM family conference for each Veteran. 7. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. ACADEMIC/TEACHING/TRAINING: 1. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). 2. Participates in the development and implementation of Tele GEM's process for continuous performance improvement with measurable outcomes. 3. Instructs students of various disciplines in providing CGA. 4. Serves as a role model in the effective operation of an interdisciplinary team. 5. Maintains professional license and completes continuing education requirements and mandatory VHA education requirements. 6. Participates in clinical leadership activities, including committee and workgroup participation, safety initiatives, research, and quality assurance. 7. Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (Veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Handle conflicts and problems in dealing with the consumer constructively and appropriately. 8. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by BHSL and Tele GEM team. 9. Participates in and complies with Psychology peer review procedures, including serving on the Peer Review Subcommittee Review Board as needed or required. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Not Authorized Telework: Yes Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0180-11-13 /Staff Psychologist (Tele-Gem) Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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: (1) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, (2) 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; Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship: 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 ORVHA 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. 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 for a period not to exceed two years. English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English 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). Grade Determinations: GS-11-13 Staff Psychologist, GS-11 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, GS-12 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 above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 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 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: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of clinical research literature. Preferred Experience: completion of clinical Geropsychology post-doctoral fellowship, Geriatric Evaluation and Management clinic experience, experience conducting cognitive evaluations. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G18 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: Light to moderate lifting, up to 44 pounds; light carrying, under 15 pounds; reaching above shoulder, use of both hands and fingers required, walking/standing 6-8 hours; 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; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; ability to work alone.

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 Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: Jonathan Davis
• Phone: 405-439-1259
• Email: [email protected]