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 Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to The Psychologist Program Manager has broad program management responsibilities for the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Teams throughout CNVAHCS to include the Uptown Division and three community-based outpatient clinics. The incumbent is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and functioning of BHIP, as well as long term program outcome evaluation and efficiency. This includes directly supervising the BHIP Team Leads and psychologists within the program. Responsibilities include development and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures, oversight of administrative and programmatic resources, and monitoring of outcomes using a data-driven quality assurance process of a program that delivers specialized, complex, highly professional services that are an important program components of the Medical Center and significantly affect the health care provided to Veterans. Psychologist program managers have full responsibility for oversight of the professional practice of psychology, including ensuring that all psychologists and clinical services under their management and its affiliated clinics meet the requirements of this qualification standard. The incumbent will directly supervise Psychologists, Social Workers, Licensed Professional MH Counselors Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists, and administrative support staff. The incumbent will work closely with the Chief of Mental Health, Assistant Chief of Outpatient Mental Health and Administrative Officer to ensure adherence to the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Medical Center and other regulatory standards, guidelines, and initiatives. The incumbent will collaborate with Mental Health Service managers in meeting clinical encounter, consult management, productivity, clinic build, and bookability requirements for program staff. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the other program coordinators and ancillary services in mental health to ensure timely and appropriate access to care and that quality clinical care is being provided to Veterans. The incumbent manages and controls the use of data related to these programs regarding day-to-day functioning and program evaluation. In conjunction with the Outpatient Mental Health Assistant Chief, the incumbent organizes and directs administrative, operational, patient, and personnel activities for the service. The incumbent is responsible for furthering the goals of equal employment opportunity (EEO) by taking positive steps to assure the accomplishment of affirmative action objectives and by adhering to nondiscriminatory employment practices regarding race color, religion, sex, and affirmative action for the area under his/her supervision. As a key leader within the Mental Health Service, the incumbent may represent the service on Medical Center task forces or committees, as deemed appropriate. The incumbent will also independently provide psychological and psychosocial services to Veterans using evidence-based therapies. This will include psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, psychological treatment, and ongoing self-monitoring of clinical care. They will provide independent consultation and recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. Receives and complete requests for services (consults) from interdisciplinary team members on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise,. Documents independently in the medical records including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up, and referral. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Ad hoc telework available to qualified applicants. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: F00491 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for qualified applicants. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact Lena Gowder at [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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: 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. OR (2) 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. AND (3) Internships (a) 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 (b) 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 (c) 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 (d) 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. Licensure: 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. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3 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). [All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. (1) Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL.](2) Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.[NOTE: If psychologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Preferred Experience: Management of outpatient mental health psychotherapy programs and supervisory experience. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.. For GS-14: Candidate must have At least 3 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 level. which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics that are directly related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would 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. 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 programs strategic plan. In addition, candidates must demonstrate the following professional KSAs. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/87 Part II Appendix G18. Physical Requirements: This position requires light lifting (under 15 lbs.); Light carrying (under 15 lbs); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Emotional and mental stability; Hearing (aid permitted).

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 Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center One Freedom Way Augusta, GA 30901 US
• Name: Leslie Hawkins
• Email: [email protected]