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 GS-13 Pain Psychologist is an advanced practice behavioral health provider with a high level of autonomy and ability to exercise independent decision-making within their clinical privileges and scope of practice. The Pain Psychologist is assigned as the co-located mental and behavioral health provider in the Pain Clinic. Duties will include: Clinical Responsibilities (80-85%): Provides a full range of assessment and therapeutic interventions by applying advanced professional psychological theories and techniques for Veterans who are established within the interdisciplinary Pain Clinic. Diagnoses mental disorders in the pain population. Conducts psychological assessments to include psychological and personality testing, and provides screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or cognitive assessment is needed. Develops person-centered, culturally sensitive, coherent treatment plans for patients with psychological problems secondary to medical and health problems that result in pain. Treats psychological problems related to medical issues, especially pain, through a variety of evidence-based modalities, and provides adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders and pain. Experience in providing biofeedback/clinical hypnosis with this population is desirable. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including individual and group psychotherapy, consultation, family therapy, rehabilitation, and psychoeducation. Based on knowledge and understanding of clinical research literature, recommends and incorporates evidence based clinical procedures including psychoeducational and rehabilitation interventions for behavioral medicine problems, particularly pain, in both individual and group treatment formats. Applies advanced professional psychological theories and techniques to the full range of patient populations, particularly populations with pain and other medical psychology presentations. Provides professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology, especially pain management. Incorporates new clinical procedures and demonstrates openness to engage in competency-based supervision to learn evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) as needed. Works within the interdisciplinary team context to provide recommendations regarding patient ability to participate in pharmacologic/implantable technology treatment for chronic pain, considering mental health diagnoses, cognitive status, SUD, and other pertinent concerns. Provides collaboration and consultation with affiliated departments and programs (e.g., Primary Care Mental Health Integration, General Mental Health Clinic, Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program, Suicide Prevention). Tracks consults and provides timely contact with newly referred patients. Produces timely, appropriate documentation of care in accordance with agency policies. Serves as an integrated member of the interdisciplinary Pain Clinic treatment team(s) for Veterans, collaborating closely on a daily basis with the team regarding care for patients. Assists with referrals to specialty mental health care as needed. Academic/Teaching/Training (5-10%): Serves as faculty member and member of training committee for facility's APA-accredited clinical psychology internship. Provides training and clinical supervision to interns in the program. Contributes to meetings and faculty training associated with the internship. May serve as faculty member for regional psychiatry residency. As requested, provides training and consultation for psychiatry residents doing rotations in psychiatry. Seeks and maintains clinical appointment through residency-affiliated university. May provide training and clinical supervision to trainees in other behavioral health disciplines, medical students, nursing students, and trainees of other disciplines, as assigned. Other (5-10%): Serves on the facility's Pain Committee, Opioid Safety Initiative Committee, and STORM review team. Meets regularly with Interdisciplinary Pain Team for internal team patient review and shared updates/care coordination. Assists Behavioral Medicine Program Manager in developing, monitoring, and reporting on outcome and performance measures. As assigned, serves on other Service, Medical Center, VISN, and/or National committees or task forces related to assigned program(s). Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM, compressed tour may be available for highly qualified candidates. Telework: Yes, to be determined by the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 (TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED). 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. Provide copy of licensure. 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. Grade Determinations: GS-11 Staff Psychologist Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 Staff Psychologist Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) which includes diagnosing disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may include research. 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. GS-13 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance) 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 a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety 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: Experience supporting patients living with chronic pain. References: VHA 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 lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs), reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, use of mouse and computer, ability to use and see computer and computer screen, hearing (aid may be permitted).

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript with confer date must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

[Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. Conferral of degree(s) must be stated on transcript(s). Unofficial transcripts(s) are acceptable].

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 Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4815 North Assembly Street Spokane, WA 99205 US
• Name: Michelle Yahne
• Phone: 503-220-8262 X53055
• Email: [email protected]