Job opening: Psychologist - Program Manager
Salary: $136 832 - 177 885 per year
Published at: Jan 26 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
Relocation Incentive Authorized
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 psychologist serves as a Program Manager at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS). In this capacity, the psychologist functions as the Program Manager of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, the Veterans Intensive PTSD (VIP) program, within the Mental Health Service line at VAPSHCS.
Program Management Responsibilities
Provides broad program management responsibilities of a clinical care team, including leadership in the development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight of a complex program responsible for comprehensive clinical care of Veterans.
Leads a multidisciplinary team, which include psychologists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, nurses, and other health care professionals and trainees.
Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, with the approval of the affiliated Program Director and/or Service Line Leader.
Conducts ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects that monitor the effectiveness of clinical operations within their respective program(s).
Allocates resources within the Veterans Intensive PTSD (VIP) program at VAPSHCS, based on data-driven decision-making process with consideration given to the overall needs of the organization and Service Line (e.g., productivity, bed occupancy, clinic utilization, staffing needs, barriers to access, etc.).
Organizes and leads team meetings in order to facilitate case disposition, care management, effective delivery of clinical interventions, and the adherence to administrative demands.
Monitors and distributes provider-specific workload reports to program managers and ensures provider adherence to workload standards.
Plans work to be accomplished by program managers, including establishing priorities, timelines for completion, and necessary adjustments therein.
Clinical Responsibilities
Provides psychological assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of psychopathology receiving care within the clinic setting.
Demonstrates expertise in using and teaching others about contemporary interview and psychometric assessment methods for these disorders.
Provides education to both patients and family members regarding relevant mental health concerns.
Provides comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation.
Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plan for patients to ensure that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the Medical Center.
Develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Has direct or indirect (through subordinate supervision) administrative and professional supervision of subordinates.
Functions as the first line supervising authority (i.e., rater) for Psychologists and Social Work staff members.
Provides administrative oversight and clinical consultation to staff in the following disciplines: Physician Assistant, Recreation Therapy, Psychiatry and Nursing.
Provides clinical supervision to psychology interns and other trainees as appropriate.
Assumes responsibility for taking appropriate disciplinary actions for employees with performance problems in a timely and effective manner.
Approves leave for employees directly under their supervision.
Initiates performance awards for outstanding employees and completes administrative paperwork with both accuracy and timeliness.
Education and Training
Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychology trainees (interns and/or postdoctoral fellows) assigned to the primary work setting.
Serves on a Psychology Service committee concerned with oversight of the training program (for example, the Training Committee or Steering Committee).
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am - 4:30pm
Telework: Ad-Hoc available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact
[email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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 respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization 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. 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 (pre1979) 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.
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 and Loss of Credential: 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. Must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.
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.
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:
Psychology Program Manager, 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 all of the following KSAs:
Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines.
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 deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view.
Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.
Preferred Experience: Provision of treatment to Veterans with diagnosis of PTSD, to include experience in delivery of Evidence Based Therapies for PTSD; Experience in care delivery in Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program; Experience with supervision.
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18 II-G18-1 APPENDIX G18. PSYCHOLOGIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0180
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: light lifting (15-44lbs); light carrying (15-44lbs); emotion/mental stability.
Environment Factors: working alone; outside/inside; working closely with others
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:
https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Contacts
- Address VA Puget Sound Health Care System
1660 South Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98108
US
- Name: Delilah Black
- Phone: 215-823-5800 X6491
- Email: [email protected]
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