This position is a Detail (not to exceed 180 days) as a Psychologist Program Manager in Psychiatry Service at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. This position aligns under the ACOS for Mental Health and reports directly to the Chief of Psychiatry Service. This is a Multi-Discipline position that may be filled by a Psychologist or Social Worker and provide programmatic oversight for the Mental Health Clinic at Battle Creek VA Medical Center.

Duties

Assigned Duties include but are not limited to: Program Manager Responsibilities: The Program Manager (PM) oversees and ensures program compliance with VHA, JCAHO and other regulatory and accrediting standards, particularly ensuring that safety standards for Outpatient Mental Health Clinics (MHC) are met and exceeded. The PM develops and monitors treatment program content to ensure that it is evidence-based and comprehensive enough to meet the biopsychological needs of all Veteran served by the program, regardless of age, gender, or warzone, then develops short- and long-range goals and plans for the programs and implements policies and procedures to ensure goal attainment. S/he will oversee the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within assigned program units using data-driven quality assurance processes.The PM will be responsible for managing the intake and discharge processes to ensure optimal patient accessibility and coordinated transitions between levels of care. The PM is responsible for resource and financial management, budget formulation and monitoring, assessing staffing levels and needs, space planning, and assessing equipment and technology needs to provide optimal service delivery to Veterans. Supervisor Controls: The PM provides direct or indirect (through subordinate supervision) administrative and professional supervision of subordinates. The MHC has a multidisciplinary staff of approximately 25 FTEE (made up on psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers, nursing staff, and peer support specialists) that report directly to the PM as well as matrixed responsibility for clinical pharmacists and medical support assistants that work in MHC. The incumbent should demonstrate skill in interpersonal relationships to facilitate cohesion and communication among the interdisciplinary team members, and mediate conflicts as they arise. The PM will be responsible for assessing qualifications and abilities of current and prospective employees. The PM should demonstrate the ability to translate management goals and objectives into well coordinated and controlled work operations and demonstrate skill in working collaboratively with other disciplines and supervisors. The PM has line and staff authority for resource allocation within the area of responsibility. Clinical Responsibilities: The PM should demonstrate knowledge of, and ability to appropriately utilize evidence-based practices and clinical-based guidelines, and the ability to guide staff in using these tools. The PM will provide a full range of psychodiagnostics services, including psychological testing, and uses the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care. He or she will perform consultations and evaluation in Veterans referred to MHC. The PM will provide a full range of therapeutic interventions including individual therapy, couples/family therapy, and group therapy. Preceptor Responsibilities The PM will oversee or be involved in the training of psychology trainees, as well as trainees from other health professions, as appropriate. Other Responsibilities: The PM should Serve on the Psychology Professional Standards Board Maintain membership of the Association of VA Psychology Leaders (AVAPL) Demonstrate the ability to: Organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. Establish and monitor production and performance of priorities and standards. Deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. Analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. Oversee or be involved in the training of Psychology trainees,, as well as trainees from other health professions as appropriate Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30 PM. The nature of the role will require being available for extended hours and emergent situations on evenings and weekends. Telework: may be available at supervisor's discretion.

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. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education Requirement - You must 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. OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a 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 you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship Requirement - You must 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 fulltime, 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. (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification). NOTE: 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: Candidates must 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. 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). Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program Reference: Psychologist Qualification Standard The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements: Physical qualifications require the ability to stand, walk, bend, and move freely. Must be able to utilize good body mechanics in lifting or restraining patients. Must have good hearing, eyesight, and physical dexterity. Must be clean and neat in appearance. Work is accomplished predominately in an office setting. The physical surroundings involve working with the acute and chronically physically and mentally ill patients, which may cause discomfort related to negative verbal and physical activities from these patients. Position also may require occasional travel to Community Based Outpatient Center Mental Health Clinics, which position supervises. This position requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to infection and contagious diseases. Infection Control Standard Precautions are required as safety precautions such as hand hygiene, gloves, gowns, or masks, which may be required for personal protective equipment and to promote a safe environment.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Battle Creek VA Medical Center 5500 Armstrong Road Battle Creek, MI 49037 US
• Name: Alexander Phillips
• Phone: 317-681-4780
• Email: Alexander.Phillips@va.gov