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 provides specialized clinical health psychology evidenced-based services within the Sleep Medicine Clinical Team and the Hema-Onco Section and Consultation & Liaison Team. The incumbent also performs Evaluation of Candidates for Organ Transplantation. The incumbent treats Veterans with sleep disorders, cancer/hematology diagnoses, and responds to consults sent to the Consultation & Liaison team for hospitalized patients. The psychologist for whom this functional statement applies is administratively assigned to the Mental Health & Behavioral Health Sciences Service (MH&BHS), Psychology Section to provide services at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System. The psychologist is responsible for tasks as assigned by the Psychology Profession Section Chief. Some of the duties include but are not limited to; The incumbent treats Veterans with sleep disorders, cancer/hematology diagnoses, and responds to consults sent to the Consultation & Liaison team for hospitalized patients. Performs professional work describing human behavior, determining the reasons for that behavior and predicting and/or modifying the behavior. Performs psychological assessments, evaluations, and treatment of patients with a wide range of psychiatric disorders and psychological issues. The assessments include Organ Transplant evaluations. Plans and conducts individual, group, family and couples psychotherapy utilizing evidenced based therapeutic models and techniques for population and problems served. Through clinical interviews, psychological testing, and behavioral observation, assesses behavior, emotions, personality, and intelligence. Administers, scores, and interprets a wide variety of cognitive and personality psychological tests for differential diagnostic purposes and to offer recommendations for management or treatment of patients. Renders a written report of findings. Serves as an authoritative source of information in the use and interpretation of psychological tests Conceptualizes, develops, and presents detailed treatment plans for the cases served and documents treatment plans in the electronic health record and/or the Mental Health Suite. Provides consultation to other behavioral and medical health staff professionals and peers in an attempt to promote and preserve therapeutic environment for individual patients. Provides consultation regarding appropriate staff responses toward patient or specific environmental factors that will stimulate more self-reliance, reduce anxiety, or achieve more socially adaptable behavior patterns. Evaluates and adjusts treatment as necessary. Continually monitors patient's progress through qualitative means and Measurement-Based Care. Maintains accuracy in therapeutic techniques by reviewing and/or participating in outcome research or quality improvement activities. Evaluates and exercises judgment in the adjustment of treatment plan goals in collaboration with the patient and the treating team. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate. Follows VHA mandated procedures for crisis intervention and suicide assessment procedures. Serves as key member of the interdisciplinary team of the clinic, program, or unit where assigned. Performs administrative duties in support of patient care including scheduling of Veterans and related issues. Completes on a timely manner Provider Practice Reviews, Protected Peer Reviews, Fact Findings, Project Action Teams, Root Cause Analyses, and other workgroups tasks assigned. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Wednesday to Sunday, 8:00am to 4:30pm or Compressed Schedule that includes weekends may also be an option., (Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs). Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 62186F (GS-11), 623187F (GS-12), 62188F (GS-13). Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: (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. 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. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internship: (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. (Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given temporary appointment as a graduate psychologist at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 USC 7405 for a period not to exceed two years of the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.) English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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 and meet the criteria). 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. 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. 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, 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. Staff 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. Preferred Experience: Knowledge obtained through education preferred may include formal training in an accredited internship in Health Service Psychology with emphasis in Health Psychology or having completed a Postdoctoral Program in Clinical Psychology with specialization in Health Psychology. Specialty certification in Clinical Health Psychology by the American Board of Clinical Health Psychology (ABCHP) or, at a minimum board-eligibility, is preferred. Experience treating Insomnia, Nightmare Disorder, Circadian rhythm sleep disorders, Parasomnias/Movement-Related Disorders, Hypersomnia, and Psychological Factors Affecting Other Medical Condition such as when using Positive Airway Pressure Desensitization for CPAP users. Selective Placement Factor (SPF): This position includes a skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to -and essential for- satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. The SPF for this position is: In addition to the English Language Proficiency, you must also be proficient in basic written and spoken Spanish in order to perform the duties of this position. Please refer to Additional Information Section.

Education

Must have both Doctoral degree and Internship accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Important: 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.]

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 San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: Yolanda Ortiz-Davila
• Phone: (407) 631-7515
• Email: [email protected]