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

The incumbent functions as a Psychologist within the Behavioral Health Service at VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS); s/he may be located at the Medical Center or outpatient clinics. The incumbent is responsible for treating Veterans with more chronic mental health concerns. Provides immediate, direct, and on-site access for psychological consultation, assessment, and mental health treatment as clinically indicated. The incumbent works within a multidisciplinary team matrix, actively collaborates, and coordinates Veteran care with other clinical and administrative supporting services. Provides evidence-based therapeutic interventions supported by the standards of care within the psychology community; implements and meets performance requirements for quality and timeliness of clinical care; employs recovery-oriented interventions; and successfully completes other clinical duties as assigned.Duties may include but are not limited to: Provides clinical services including direct care to Veterans enrolled in BHIP. S/he reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Establishes, implements, and maintains referrals and screening procedures. S/he develops screening procedures that involve a multidisciplinary team approach. Assesses at risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan, involving the Veteran and the family/significant other. Develops comprehensive treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals, objectives, and interventions for psychosocial clinical treatment. Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs. Consults with other specialists in planning treatment for Veterans with co-morbidities. Provides individual, family, and group therapy services in accordance with the needs identified in the Veteran's treatment assessment and treatment plan. Ultimately responsible for all entries in the Veteran's medical record (CPRS) and timely completion thereof, including discharge summaries and patient encounters. Responsible for completion of all assigned clinical reminders for patients under his/her care, and performance measures assigned to the Care Line. Participates actively in Performance Improvement activities. Participates in a variety of meetings as directed by the Chief of Psychology: Staff, committee, AD HOC/work-group committee, taskforce, and/or other clinical or administrative activities. Participates in a variety of meetings as directed by the Chief of Psychology: Staff, committee, AD HOC/work-group committee, taskforce, and/or other clinical or administrative activities. Adheres to HIPPA, privacy regulations and VHA Directives related to release of information. accountable for practice, including Veteran visits, measuring outcomes to interventions, and meeting productivity standards. Participates fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional psychology standards provided in the organization. Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi- disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals. Serves as a consultant, liaison, and point of contact for programs within Behavioral Health services, throughout the hospital, and within the community. Participates in education/CME lectures, research, specialty care programs, and/or clinics as assigned by the Chief of Psychology. Participates in local, VISN, and national committees/community networking activities as requested by BHS or facility leadership. Participates in research as appropriate through case finding and referral of patients to clinical investigators engaged in research or through participating in research studies. Applies new approaches to patient care through integration of approved investigative and research methods in clinical practice, basing interventions on evidence of effectiveness. Provides and, where appropriate, referring patients, families, and significant others for counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention. Promote patient independence and achievement of optimal health through appropriate psychosocial education and community referrals. Participate fully in educational development through standard section meetings. Be involved in the Psychology training programs, the training of social work interns, psychiatric residents, medical students, and nursing students. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Ad hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00747F -00749F - 00750F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact Susan Bringel ([email protected]), the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Requirements

Qualifications

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 Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association, the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, or the Canadian Psychological Association 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA, or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and 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 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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; 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. 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. 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 (NOTE: A COPY OF YOUR LICENSE/CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE) Board Certification and Loss of Credential 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 Loss of Credential. Once board certified, psychologist must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required board certification 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 Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met:GS-11: (Entry Level)Experience. None beyond the basic requirements Assignment. Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. They may be assigned to any program area. Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist. **GS-12 and13 GRADE DETERMINATIONS ARE CONTINUED IN THE EDUCATION SECTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT** Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Education

Education - Requirements continued for GS-12 and GS-13

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 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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.
Assignment. Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research. They may be assigned to any program area. Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed 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 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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.
Assignment. This is the full performance level for staff psychologists. At this level, psychologists are licensed to practice independently in the provision of psychological services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. They may be assigned to any VHA program and setting, such as inpatient or outpatient medicine, primary care, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, Compensation and Pension, Vet Centers, and the VHA National Center for Organization Development. Psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and community interventions. Psychologists consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation, teaching, training, and research activities.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS11 to GS13.

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 Las Vegas VA Medical Center 6900 North Pecos Road North Las Vegas, NV 89086 US
• Name: Cynthia Davis
• Phone: 360-750-5363
• Email: [email protected]