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 may include, but are not limited to: The incumbent directs all activities of the MH service including budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning, and program management and evaluation, assuring that the clinical and administrative functions are integrated in order to provide optimum utilization of resources. Participates in management discussions, decisions and policy-making, and provides program direction to the managers and assigned personnel within the service line. Major duties include: - Planning, developing, coordinating, directing, and evaluating a large, integrated mental health program for MTVAHCS - Performing wider-range and higher-level management functions for MTVAHCS and VISN 19 through participation in planning and oversight boards, councils, and committees - Developing and maintaining continuing programs in the areas of professional peer review, organizational improvement, continuing education, scope of practice, clinical privileging, and other quality improvement activities. - Providing direct healthcare to Veterans within incumbent's area of expertise, on a limited basis. Serves as a member of a number of facility and VISN level committees such as the facility Executive Committee of the Medical Staff, the HealthCare Delivery Executive Council, and the VISN 19 Mental Health Integrated Clinical Communities. The incumbent actively participates in the development of overall management objectives and philosophies necessary for the attainment of optimum efficiency in providing health care of the Veteran population. Provides input, advice, and counsel for MTVAHCS planning, programming, budgeting, and general administration. Manages a large, diverse service line that provides health care services central to the mission of MTVAHCS. Has supervisory responsibility for subordinates and responsibility for all professional, management, and administrative aspects of the Department. Has ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. Has skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives, and ability to devise ways to adapt work operations to new and changing programs, staffing, and budget requirements, etc. Has line and staff authority for resource allocations and ensures efficient operation within the Department. Able to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. Formulates policies and operating procedures ensuring compliance with VA regulations, statutes, and the standards of requirements of various internal and external reviews and accrediting bodies. Assesses the impact of regional, national, and private-sector developments as they relate to the local program, making change recommendations accordingly. Develops program evaluation methodology and processes, which will ascertain areas such as program effectiveness, organizational productivity, operational efficiency, and resource utilization. Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of existing Mental Health programs in meeting established program goals and objectives. Develops plans for organizational changes accordingly. Thoroughly evaluates proposed program changes, operating procedures, and delegations of authority to ascertain impact on current program operations and on the VISN and MTVAHCS operations. Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (MST) Telework: May be eligible; (Adhoc) Will be discussed during the interview process Virtual: This is not a virtual/remote position. Functional Statement #: 436-59536-0 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA psychologist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. § 7402. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of psychologist in VHA must meet the following: 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 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 (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND (4) 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. 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. Board Certification and Loss of Credential (1) Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education. NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard. Grade Determinations: GS 15 Experience. At least four years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Ability to supervise and manage a large group of professional staff effectively. 2. Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with supervisors from other units. 3. Ability to accurately apply the qualification standards, assesses the potential of current and prospective employees, and promotes their professional development. 4. Ability to develop appropriate productivity standards for professional staff, often across multiple program lines. 5. Knowledge of the goals and objectives of the medical center and VISN and ability to communicate these to subordinates. Preferred Experience: This position requires a deep understanding of mental health services, including clinical care, program development, and policy implementation. The ideal candidate should have experience in leading and managing a team of mental health professionals, as well as collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive care. Additionally, a strong background in developing and implementing evidence-based practices, quality improvement initiatives, and research programs is desired. Excellent communication and leadership skills are essential for this role, as the Associate Chief of Staff of Mental Health will be responsible for fostering a culture of excellence, promoting innovation, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality mental health services to veterans within the VA ECHCS. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G18 Physical Requirements: 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 Fort Harrison VA Medical Center 3687 Veterans Drive Fort Harrison, MT 59636 US
• Name: Rodney Riggleman
• Phone: (210) 980-9493
• Email: [email protected]