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. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA ELRS program after complete review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf The East Orange Psychosocial Recovery and Rehabilitation Center (PRRC) is within the section for Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in the Mental Health & Behavioral Science (MH&BS) service line, East Orange Campus. The primary goal of the PRRC is to provide specialized, recovery-oriented mental health services to veterans who require extended mental health support to meet their recovery goals and to integrate into their communities of choice. The Psychologist possesses special proficiency in the assessment and treatment of serious mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, severe PTSD, severe major depressive disorder) and co-occurring disorders (e.g., substance use disorder). The Psychologist must possess a thorough knowledge of and ability to effectively use the skills of case management, diagnostic assessment, and individual and group psychotherapy. The Psychologist also is responsible for administrative tasks as assigned by the EO PRRC Program Coordinator or the Section Chief of SMI Programs. Because some of the clinical services provided by the Psychologist may take place in the community, they may be required to travel into the community. The Psychologist possesses a broad-based understanding of intra-psychic and interpersonal psychopathology, has expertise in current therapy methods and is knowledgeable about clinical research, mental health recovery principles and evidence-based care. The Psychologist has ability to facilitate the accomplishment of the type of work done in a psychosocial rehabilitation program for veterans with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia; schizoaffective disorder; bipolar I disorder; severe posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder; and those with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems. Screening/Assessment - The Psychologist participates in screening appointments of veterans referred to the PRRC to determine if veterans are eligible per national standards. The Psychologist completes psychosocial assessments, psychological assessments, and diagnostic evaluations, including differential diagnosis of mental health disorders, as indicated. Caseload - The Psychologist is responsible for a caseload of veterans which includes regular supportive individual/case management sessions and development of collaborative, individualized recovery plans. The course of treatment is reflected in progress notes completed upon each significant contact with the client. As part of the team, they may be asked to provide clinical coverage for team members during absences. Crisis Intervention - The Psychologist provides crisis assessment and intervention for PRRC veterans, supporting non-licensed staff as indicated. The Psychologist is aware of VA NJ Healthcare System risk assessment procedures, documentation standards, and emergency services and resources. Psychotherapy - The Psychologist conducts primarily group therapy in the PRRC, but also provides individual therapy as indicated and in conjunction with team/veteran. As such, the Psychologist is skilled in a variety of individual and group counseling techniques with SMI populations, including evidence-based practices, and in designing and implementing effective treatment strategies. The Psychologist also is skilled in incorporating new clinical procedures and possesses thorough knowledge of the clinical research literature. Administrative and other responsibilities - The Psychologist complies with all VHA regulations. Clinical documentation complies with VA NJ Healthcare System policies and current standards of practice for psychologists. The Psychologist may also be assigned other administrative duties relating to requirements of the PRRC, including temporary coordinator coverage and process improvement activities, and may be assigned to conduct Compensation and Pension exams. The Psychologist may provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including trainees seeking licensure in psychology. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21X-38O Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.) 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: (a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, (b) 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. AND 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 (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. 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. Loss of Credential. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, 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. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 5. 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. Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full Performance Level) Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. An applicant may be selected in the range of GS-11 to GS-13.

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 New Jersey Health Care System 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 US
• Name: Kelli Bencic
• Phone: 716-458-6982
• Email: [email protected]