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

**ONLY OPEN TO CURRENT BIRMINGHAM VA FACILITY EMPLOYEES** The Telemental Health Program Manager assists in planning, establishing and implementing policies and procedures related to mental health care delivered via telemental health throughout the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (BVAHCS), which includes the main hospital, Birmingham East clinic (mental health), Birmingham clinic (primary care), and 8 regional CBOCs . The Telemental Health Program Manager oversees psychologists and social workers on the Telemental Health Team, and may oversee other staff as assigned. As part of supervisory duties, the Telemental Health Program Manager develops individual and group goals and objectives and oversees the monitoring, operating, evaluating and coordinating of the Telemental Health Team's psychotherapy services for BVAHCS. The incumbent works closely with Mental Health leadership to assure all Telemental Health Team staff adhere to all current directives of VHA, and meet Joint Commission standards, State licensure standards, and VA-OIG expectations. The incumbent will conduct ongoing reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing and accreditation bodies. The incumbent also provides direct clinical services for a portion of his/her time. Program Management Responsibilities: 1. The incumbent exhibits leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups served through integrated programs that cross service and system lines and influence organizational mission and healthcare. The incumbent provides administrative, technical, and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the mental health service. 2. The incumbent assists in planning, establishing and implementing policies and procedures related to mental health care delivered via telemental health throughout the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (BVAHCS) . 3. The incumbent may serve in a VVC or telemental health champion role. 4. The incumbent assists with the preparation of reports concerning telemental health for hospital leadership. ENRICHING ELEMENTS: 1. Clinical Responsibilities Direct Clinical Service: As a licensed, practicing psychologist the Telemental Health Program Manager is responsible for the assessment, identification, facilitation, referral and linkage to appropriate medical, psychotherapeutic, and psychiatric services for Veterans identified as eligible for services. The Telemental Health Program Manager conducts individual, group, and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues. Professional judgement, including the knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior, is a competency applied in daily interactions with Veterans. The Telemental Health Program Manager consults with relevant program medical and clinical staff in planning treatment for Veterans with co-morbidities. The Telemental Health Team Program Manager assists the Veteran in service stabilization by consulting and intervening when problems arise with service providers and assists in priority management/pace of services/integration of Veteran in program with Veteran and program staff by participating in treatment team meetings. 2. Clinical Assessment: Advanced clinical training, insight and experience is utilized to interpret data and identify viable treatment options. The incumbent assesses high risk factors, acuity, and the need for services. The Telemental Health Program Manager has the ability to serve Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support. The Telemental Health Program Manager diagnoses mental disorders, conducts psychological assessments as needed to determine appropriate treatment referrals. S/he ensures immediate expert mental health consultation, as needed. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Between 7:00 am - 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday (40 hours) Telework: Ad-hoc available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:54051F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: 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. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education Requirement - You must 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 completed a 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 you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship Requirement - You must 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). NOTE: 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: Candidates must 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 under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (c)(2)(B) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. Grade Requirements: GS-14 Psychologist (Program Manager) Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have at least 3 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level and are able to demonstrate the following KSAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 1.Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. 2. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. 3. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. 4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. 5. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. 6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. 7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. 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 program managers have broad program management responsibilities for a specific program or programs that are designed to deliver specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components of the facility and that significantly impact the health care provided to Veterans. Programs include but are not limited to addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mental health intensive case management (MHICM), mental health compensation and pension examination (C&P) programs, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers, inpatient mental health, residential rehabilitation, domiciliary, palliative care, neuropsychology, and internship and postdoctoral fellowship training programs; management of an off campus site; psychology program oversight and coordination throughout the facility and its affiliated clinics as a psychology executive, typically at lower complexity facilities. Decisions made by the Program Manager affect staff and other resources associated with the programs managed and are made while exercising wide latitude and independent judgment. The type of program managed and scope of responsibility are critical aspects of the assignment at this level. Responsibilities include operation and management of key clinical, training, research, or administrative programs to include full responsibility for managing the day to day activities of those programs. Responsibility may include supervision of staff but is not required. Psychologist Program Managers are responsible for strategic planning to ensure the provision of high quality services to meet the needs of the Veterans being served and planning, and developing and implementing short- and long-term goals and objectives consistent with the program's strategic plan. They have oversight of administrative and programmatic resources and deploy those resources in support of the program needs. They develop and implement programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, VHA policy and external accreditation requirements, and monitor outcomes using data-driven quality assurance processes, and implement strategies for improvement based on data analysis. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements: Position is primarily sedentary in a Medical Office setting.

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 Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 US
• Name: Jenna McCarthy
• Email: [email protected]