This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

This position serves as a member of the facility's interdisciplinary Pain Management Team and is assigned to the Veterans Integrated Pain Management (VIPM) program. Clinical practice is provided in accordance with the VA Stepped Care Model for Pain Management and consistent with person-centered care and the Biopsychosocial Model. Clinical responsibilities are split between the Active Management of Pain (AMP) program and the VIPM Psychology clinic. AMP is a standardized, group-based intervention. The AMP Psychologist and Physical Therapist co-facilitate treatment groups to provide behavioral and movement-based therapies to address chronic pain. During the remainder of their time, the Pain/AMP Psychologist will provide a range of evaluative, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions to address the psychological needs of a complex chronic pain population. Upon hire, the incumbent and AMP Physical Therapist will participate in training related to AMP including an in-person 3-day workshop fully funded through the PMOP (Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and Prescription Drug Monitoring) Program. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Spends at least 50% of clinical time conducting AMP groups. Participates in program development activities related to AMP, including data collection/management, policy development/adherence, and documentation. Provides evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, as indicated and appropriate for the complex needs of a chronic pain population and setting, which may include: individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation; psychological screening/assessment; in-person and telehealth appointments; risk assessment and management. Consults with and provides support to other members of the multidiscipline PMT, as well as other staff throughout the facility as appropriate. Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings, as well as pain committee meetings, as indicated by section and service leadership. Provides supervision, education, and training to Facility trainees, including residents, interns, students, and fellows. Complies with all electronic health record documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Participates in professional peer review. Maintains professional knowledge and licensure by involvement in appropriate continuing education activities. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Adhoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact Lynnetta Burton @lynnetta.burton@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

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: 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 respecialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the respecialization 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: 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. (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: 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. (1) Exception. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 [(c)(2)(B)] for a period not to exceed two years from 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. Grade Determinations: GS-11 Staff Psychologist: Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 Staff Psychologist: 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: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 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. GS-13 Staff Psychologist: 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: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of clinical research literature Reference: VA Handbook 5005/103, Psychologist Part II, Appendix G18The 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 GS-11 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the incumbent or others. Position involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Cesar Busanet
• Email: Cesar.Busanet@va.gov