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

Duties will vary based on grade. At the GS-13 full performance level of this assignment, the incumbent in the Social and Behavioral Health Service (S&BHS) at the Alaska VA Healthcare System (Alaska VAHCS) conducts psychological and/or neuropsychological assessment, diagnoses and treats mental disorders. Treatment modalities may include individual, family, and group psychotherapies, and adjunctive therapies within scope of practice. Duties will include: BHIP Clinical Responsibilities: (80% of time) Provides psychological assessment, triage, intervention, education, and consultative services consistent with training and expertise related to mental health and behavioral medicine concerns of varying complexity in an outpatient setting. Delivers a full range of psychological interventions with a strong emphasis on time-limited, evidenced-based treatments. Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy and counseling/education to Veterans and family members, as clinically indicated. Conducts assessments appropriate to the individual patient, including evaluating high risk factors, acuity, and need for services, with attention to the implications of test results for a Veteran's real-world function and successful treatment/management of health problems with an emphasis on behavioral health factors associated with improved quality of life. Develops comprehensive treatment plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members documenting patient-generated concerns and goals, measurable objectives, and interventions for clinical treatment. Employs patient-reported outcome measures to inform treatment plan (measurement-based care) and adjusts interventions based on changing needs, response to interventions, and to improve outcomes. Complies with all national and local CPRS documentation procedures and timeliness standards for documentation including completion of patient encounters, clinical reminders, treatment plans, and discharge summaries. Provides expert consultation to other BHIP interdisciplinary members and healthcare providers within the Alaska VAHCS and Vet Centers, and coordinates care with community providers following HIPPA and VHA Directives related to release of information practices to support psychosocial recovery of the person served. Functions independently as a member of the Social and Behavioral Health Service at the Alaska VAHCS with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Teaching and Training: (10% of time) Provides consultation and training to S&BHS, medical center, and community in the identification and management of common behavioral health conditions. Assists in the ongoing improvement of the Psychology Training Program. May supervise pre doctoral Psychology trainees (or Graduate Psychologists) and may participate in the training of other disciplines (e.g., social work interns, psychiatry residents, medical students, and nursing students) as appropriate and within scope of practice. Participates in education/CME lectures, research, specialty care programs/clinics, and collaborates in community outreach/educational activities as assigned by the Chief of Psychology. Administrative responsibilities: (10% of time) Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by ACOS of the Social and Behavioral Health Service, or duly appointed designees. Attends monthly Psychology Service staff meetings and complies with Psychology Service case consultation and peer review procedures. Assists, as assigned, in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven process/quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of clinical programs within the service line and medical center. Responsible for identification of client problems requiring consultation with other multi disciplinary medical center staff and treatment programs and makes appropriate referrals. Attends regularly scheduled or ad hoc treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery to specialized client population. Engages in ongoing professional training programs sponsored by the VISN, VAMC and APA recognized training programs to enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities in area of specialization. Participates on selection panels for Staff Psychologist position vacancies or other positions as assigned by Chief of Psychology. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Yes, as determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. 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 (under 15 lbs), near and far vision correctable, both eyes required, emotional/mental stability, exposure to dry atmospheric conditions, working closely with others, and working alone.

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 Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Michelle Yahne
• Phone: 503-220-8262 X53055
• Email: [email protected]