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

Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist Suicide Prevention Coordinator duties include, but aren't limited to the following: The full performance level coordinates & monitors services for Veterans designated as "High Risk for Suicide" & acts as transitional care coordinator for patients throughout most acute risk period Assesses the psychosocial, environmental needs, barriers to recovery, or exacerbated psychiatric problems which might contribute to suicide risks Provides full range of patient care interventions, including individual, family, and group therapy & specialized interventions such as behavior management consultations and systems or environmental interventions Presents informed reports/educates multi-disciplinary teams on latest evidence based intervention techniques Has detailed knowledge of Substance Abuse problems, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Polytrauma & Chronic Pain Syndromes since they often exist/co-exist in patients at risk for suicide Develops program operation policies & procedures & prepares reports & statistics for facility, VISN, & national Assesses psychosocial, environmental needs, barriers to recovery, or exacerbated psychiatric problems which might contribute to the risk of suicide Coordinates/monitor services & acts as transitional care coordinator for patients during most acute risk time periods Manages High-Risk Flags & ensure all local & national standards & best practices are met by all Program services & providers Assesses psychosocial, environmental needs, barriers to recovery, or exacerbated psychiatric problems Establishes/maintains supportive relationships w/ Veteran, family &/or significant others & works w/ treatment Formulates treatment goals & develops structured continuum of care for all assigned cases Reviews &/or participates in research; promotes, initiates, assists or engages in program evaluation &/or other basic & applied research activities Advanced clinical skills in Suicide Risk Assessment and Interventions Has significant research knowledge of Suicidology pertaining to demographics, risk factors & protective factors Has detailed knowledge of Substance Abuse problems, Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Polytrauma and Chronic Pain Syndromes since they often exist/co-exist in patients at risk for suicide. Uses skills relating w/ interdisciplinary team members & therapist experience working w/ patients & family members Works w/ local agencies/community resources to coordinate long-term objectives Is familiar w/ clinical & administrative principles related to VA Systems Performs basic data entry and retrieval Assures compliance w/ Joint Commission standards related to suicide prevention Complies w/ national & local performance measures Complies w/ all documentation procedures, including timeliness standards according to policies Complex Care Management and Consultation Responsibilities Participates educational activities, completes unit based in-services, & mandatory educational activities in a self-directed manner by deadlines Demonstrates positive, effective communication skills & professional behavior that promote cooperation & teamwork Practices good customer customer service & demonstrates VA I-CARE values Participates in unit-based quality of care performance improvement activities, unit based performance improvement measures & results Identifies problem areas by practicing evidence-based practices on unit Perform other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Reallocation Incentive: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Lesley Collins @ [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) 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. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. 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 #: PDFS-0180-11-554-54183-A, FS-0180-12-554-54184-A, FS-0180-13-554-54185-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending completion of educational/certification/licensure requirements may be referred & tentatively selected but can't be hired until all requirements are met BASIC REQUIREMENTS Citizenship Must be a US citizen. Non-citizens may be appointed when it's not possible to recruit qualified US citizens English Language Proficiency Psychologists must be proficient in spoken & written English Education Have doctoral degree in psychology from graduate program in psychology accredited by American Psychological Association, APA Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, PCSAS, or Canadian Psychological Association, CPA when the program was completed. The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area. the term "specialty area" refers to specific specialty areas recognized by accrediting body & not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, & school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; so applicants w/ school psychology degrees aren't eligible for appointments. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas, w/ exception of school psychology OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology & 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: re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; & the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, w/ a dissertation primarily psychological in nature AND Internships Have successfully completed professional psychology internship training program accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area OR New VHA psychology internship programs in process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable to fulfill internship requirements, provided such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology & VHA Office of Academic Affiliations when 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 acceptable to fulfill internship requirement OR Applicants who completed an internship that wasn't accredited by APA or CPA when program was completed can only be considered eligible for hire if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area. NOTE Employee is required to maintain board certification once board certified OR Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution w/ a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to doctoral program NOTE Psychologists who meet revision requirements & who were employed by Department of Veterans Affairs prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met qualification standard requirements Licensure Hold a full, current & unrestricted license to practice psychology at doctoral level in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of U. S. or District of Columbia Exception Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet 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 2 years from employment date on the condition psychologist provides care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination temporary appointment Loss of Credential Psychologists who fail to maintain required licensure must be removed from occupation, which may result in employment termination. Employees may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified & if opportunity placement exists at appointing officials' discretion Board Certification Persons hired to psychology positions in VHA who completed an internship not accredited at time the program was completed must be board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in specialty area consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area. Board certificate must be current & applicant must abide by certifying body's requirement for continuing education Loss of Credential Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid & unrestricted board certification to remain employment qualified. Psychologists who fail to maintain required board certification must be removed from occupation, which may result in termination of employment. Employees may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified & if opportunity placement exists at appointing officials' discretion Grandfathering Provision All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on effective date of qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series & grade held, including positive education, i.e., degree & internship requirements & licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of occupation 1) Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to & including full performance, journey level, or changed to lower grade w/in occupation, but may not be promoted beyond journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL 2) Psychologists who are appointed on temporary basis prior to effective date of qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet basic requirements of standard 3) Psychologists initially grandfathered in this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education &/or licensure & meet all basic qualification standard requirements must maintain 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 full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at time of reentry to occupation Due to the independent nature of this position, preference will be given to candidates that currently hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at doctoral levels Grade Determination requirements GS-11 Experience None beyond basic requirements GS-12 Qualification requirements Experience At least 1 year professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11 grade Unlicensed Psychologists must practice under supervision of licensed psychologist but w/ less intense supervision than at GS-11 grade level Continued in Additional Information section

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts can be unofficial transcripts, but must include your name, the school's entire name, the name of the course, date course taken, grade received for the course, amount of credits earned for the course, date degree conferred, and name of degree received.

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 Eastern Colorado Health Care System 1700 N Wheeling St Aurora, CO 80045 US
• Name: VISN-HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]