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 serves as a Staff Psychologist and as Lead for the SUD/IOP Program in the VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS). The Lead is accountable to the SUD/IOP Program Manager in his/her clinical and lead-administrative responsibilities and is responsible to assist the SUD/IOP Program Manager with the operations of this program in alignment with the guidelines set forth in the Uniform MH Handbook. The Lead assists the SUD/IOP Program Manager in the day to day program management and in the oversight of administrative and programmatic resources. The psychologist is responsible for administrative tasks as assigned by the SUD/IOP Program Manager or the Primary Care Mental Health Integration and Specialty Programs Section Chief. The incumbent engages in evaluation, education, training, consultation, and clinical practice addressing the wide range of substance use and behavioral addictive behavior problems and affected populations. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: The incumbent performs his/her clinical responsibilities independently but may seek consultation and/or peer supervision as needed. Performs psychological assessment, evaluation, and treatment of patients with a wide range of psychiatric disorders and psychological issues. Provides evidenced-based psychotherapy to patients through individual, family and couples sessions or through group therapy sessions. Conceptualizes, develops, and presents detailed treatment plans for the cases served and documents treatment plans in the electronic health record and/or the Mental Health Suite. Provides consultation to other behavioral health staff professionals and peers in an attempt to promote and preserve therapeutic environment for individual patients. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate. Serves as key member of the interdisciplinary team of the clinic, program, or unit where assigned. The incumbent assist the SUD/IOP Program Manager in the day to day operation of the program regarding issues such as clinic coverage and environment of care. The incumbent is responsible for assisting the SUD/IOP Program Manager in the tracking, monitoring, reporting, leading and oversight of performance measures, provider's productivity, service reports, issue briefs, special reports, action items, recovery service, professional developments plans, recruitment/retention and disciplinary actions when appropriate. The incumbent assists the SUD/IOP Program Manager in assuring treatment teams within his/her program carry out all patient care related meetings. The incumbent assists the Program Manager in monitoring staff regarding completion of required documentation including, MHTC assignment, MHS treatment planning and progress notes. He/she is responsible for assisting the SUD/IOP Program Manager in the tracking, monitoring, reporting, leading and oversight of performance measures, provider's productivity, service reports, issue briefs, special reports, action items, recovery service, professional developments plans, recruitment/retention and disciplinary actions when appropriate. Assists the SUD/IOP Manager in identifying operational challenges within the program and assists in the implementation of action plans to resolve these. Assists the SUD/IOP Manager with matters of patient safety, and management of patients' and staff complaints, management of clinical offerings, and other clinical and operational challenges. Assist in the delegation of program responsibilities among program staff as needed to secure appropriate clinical and administrative operations. Assists the SUD/IOP Program Manager in the preparation of issue briefs, reports, and action plans as requested by Primary Care Mental Health Integration and Specialty Programs Section Chief, Psychology Profession Section Chief, and/or ACOS for MH&BHS. Participates actively in MH&BHS, VA Caribbean, VISN, and/or National VA committees or taskforces. May represent the Program, MH&BHS, or Healthcare System at community group/events and committees. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm may include some evenings, weekends, holidays and on-call duties (Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: Staff Psychologist (SUD/IOP) Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator ([email protected]) for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements (All applicants must meet the following basic requirements): Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Education: (1) Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. AND (2) Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that has been accredited by APA. Exceptions: (1) 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 Central Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern and (2) VHA facilities who offered full one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement. 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. Grade Determinations GS-11 (Entry Level) None beyond the basic requirements. 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. GS-13 (Full Performance Level) Experience: At least two (2) years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one (1) year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, (KSA's), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training. Otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. The KSA's for this subject position are: GS-12 (Developmental Level) 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. GS-13 (Full Performance Level) 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. Selective Placement Factor (SPF): This position includes a skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to -and essential for- satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. The SPF for this position is: In addition to the English Language Proficiency, you must also be proficient in basic written and spoken Spanish in order to perform the duties of this position. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18, Psychologist Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Preferred Experience: Three (3) Years' experience as of experience as a professional psychologist. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty.

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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, 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.

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.]

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 San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: Yolanda Ortiz-Davila
• Phone: (407) 631-7515
• Email: [email protected]