Summary
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
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The PCMHI Psychologist functions within fast-paced primary care teams and can expect to consult with 8-10 patients per day with the primary goals of assisting PACT members with identification, treatment, and management of mental health and behavioral medicine conditions in the enrolled population. Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist. 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 PCMHI Psychologist: May have limited responsibilities for and oversight of the administrative and programmatic resources of various clinical programs within the VATVCBHCS. May assist in coordinating programming within the various mental health programs with psychology Program Managers as well as with discipline supervisors of affected staff assigned to these programs Duties are continued in the Education Section. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): A Recruitment or Relocation incentive may be offered at the discretion of the Hiring Manager to highly qualified candidate. Incentives are considered on a case by case basis. Incentives must be approved by the Medical Center Director or designee before being offered to individual candidates. The incentive must be approved, and an incentive agreement must be signed before Entry on Duty (EOD). Recruitment Incentives. Recruitment incentives may be authorized to full-time, part time[,] or intermittent individuals in their first appointment as a Federal employee or to a newly appointed former Federal employee with at least a 90-day break in service Relocation Incentives. Relocation incentives may be authorized to full-time Federal employees who must change worksite[s] and physically relocate to a different geographic area when the approving official determines that without the incentive, it would be difficult to fill the position with a high-quality candidate. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator at [email protected] for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). This is at the discretion of the Supervisor and may not be offered until approved by the Facility Director or designee. 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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: Ad/Hoc Telework is available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS-11: 53928-F, GS-12: 53929-F, GS-13: 53930-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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/. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Accreditation Information: The 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). Verification of accreditation may be made obtained from https://accreditation.apa.org/accreditedrogramshttps://www.pcsas.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/ orhttps://cpa.ca/accreditation/cpaaccreditedprograms/ NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited by American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the APA Accreditation - Home, CPA Accredited Programs - Canadian Psychological Association, or Accredited Programs - PCSAS website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. Duties Continued: May serve as the representative for Psychology Service on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including the use of psychological testing for patients within VATVCBHCS in areas of specific interest/expertise, including specialized health psychology assessments such as pre-bariatric surgery and transplant psychological assessment/intervention. Performs psychological evaluations for individual with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnostic interview, review of available records, collateral contract when available, as well as objective, and cognitive tests when indicated. Provides a range of psychological therapeutic interventions, including group and individual formats, with individuals with mental health and medical disorders utilizing empirically supported modalities when indicated. Services may be delivered in a face-to-face and/or telehealth format. Consults with and serves as resource for other professional personnel concerning the needs for, evaluation of, and development of psychological services in VATVCBHCS Deals effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. May be asked to assist in the selection, training, and supervision staff at lower grade within assigned program area, Psychology Service, or VATVCBHCS. May be asked to serve as a clinical supervisor for psychology pre-doctoral interns, and doctoral level graduate practicum students in psychology and other related disciplines. May be asked to prepare and teach seminars/workshops for VATVCBHCS trainees/staff on topics within interest/competency areas. May be asked to serve as a member of various VATVCBHCS Mental Health, VATVCBHCS, and/or VISN committees. May choose to conduct approved psychological research that supports the mission of VATVCBHCS alone in collaboration with other professional in VATVCBHCS or affiliated academic institutions.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.