The Salem VA Medical Center has 182 operating beds in addition to a 90-bed Community Living Center (CLC). The Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) comprises 80 of these operating beds, of which 35 are acute admitting beds. In addition, there are 26 beds designated for a Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP). The service line also provides extensive outpatient mental health services, including a Mental Health Clinic (MHC), Center for Traumatic Stress (CTS).

Duties

Program Management Responsibilities: 25% time Program management responsibilities consist of significant scope, complexity, and variety and cover the MHSL BHIP psychology clinics and psychology technicians in the Mental Health Clinic and in the healthcare system's community-based health clinics (CBOCs). The programs supervised by the incumbent provide highly complex face-to-face, telephone, and telemental health clinical services to the medical center. The incumbent is responsible for professional, management, and administrative aspects of the Mental Health Clinic Psychology and CBOC Psychology programs. These programs provide the majority of the Salem VAMC's general outpatient psychology mental health services and performance is measured by a number of specific SAIL measures. The incumbent holds administrative responsibility for this team of psychologists and multiple psychology trainees. The incumbent may serve as an active and funded researcher and scientist practitioner mentor of our trainees. In collaboration with service line management, the incumbent establishes program priorities and goals; develops and implements programs, policies, and procedures; provides oversight of administrative and programmatic resources; manages program resources to facilitate safe, effective, and efficient patient care; and monitors the effectiveness of program service delivery, operations, and outcomes using a data-driven quality assurance process. The incumbent may also be an active participant in the Salem High Reliable Organization initiative. Represents the medical center and VISN6 at professional and community events and committees, in conferences and meetings with higher-ranking managers, supervisors, and staff from other disciplines or work units, and with representatives of local public interest groups, congressional district offices, and employees of State and local governments. Administrative (Supervisory) Responsibilities: 20% time Supervisory responsibilities include evaluation of staffing needs and personnel assignments, coordinating continuum of mental health care for veterans in BHIP, completing performance appraisals, and periodic updating of position descriptions and functional statements. The incumbent ensures efficient operation of the organizational unit through responsibilities that include supervision of staff and trainees, professional program management, and administrative responsibilities, all of which are complex in scope and constitute a significant portion of the service line and medical center. Clinical Responsibilities: 35% time Independently provides a full range of psychological services (including individual, marital, and group psychotherapy, and psychological assessment) at all levels of complexity using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality patient care. Conducts psychological assessment and diagnostic evaluations by clinical interview, objective and/or projective testing, intellectual assessment, organicity screening, and behavioral observation. The incumbent interprets and integrates these findings with all other available patient data and writes the outcomes in comprehensive psychological evaluations. Plans and carries out individual, marital, and/or group psychotherapy with the most difficult cases, and participates fully in the development of treatment programs for patients in primary care and the medicine subspecialty clinics. Provides education to patients, patients' families, and medical center staff. Provides assessment, therapy, education, and support services for, and interacts with, patients from young adult to geriatric age levels on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Direct responsibility for all aspects of psychological services in the program, including those conducted by trainees and staff. Serves as a consultant, adviser, and resource person, not only to lower grade level psychologists, but to staff members of other disciplines, operating officials, and others concerned with patient treatment, including community resources. Academic/Teaching/Training: 10% time Plans, guides, instructs, evaluates, and supervises one or more psychology and/or social work trainees and/or staff. Research/Program Evaluation: 5% time 1. Oversees the implementation of program monitors and outcome measurements within the assigned program area using a data-driven quality assurance process. 2. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the medical center or healthcare system, as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:45 am to 4:30 pm. Subject to change based on the needs of the agency. Telework: Ad Hoc -Telework 1 or 2 days per weeks as determined by the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic RequirementsCitizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Regulations. Education. (1) 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 (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization 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. OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. 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. (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification.) OR (e) 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. English Language Proficiency. Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Regulations. Grade Requirements Psychology Program Manager (GS-14) Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. 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. Knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-14 level, consistent with qualification standards for GS-180-13 Staff Psychologist and additionally meets or is expected to meet the following KSAs for GS-180-14 Psychologist (Program Manager): 1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and met 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.- Reference: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18, Psychologist Qualification Standard. Available in the Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job including their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Salem VA Medical Center 1970 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, VA 24153 US
• Name: Tammy Myrie
• Phone: 901-663-6722
• Email: [email protected]