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. 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. 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. 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 (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 Internships: (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 regionallyaccredited 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. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-11 Staff Psychologist (Entry Level)Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 Staff Psychologist (Developmental Level) Experience. At least 1 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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. GS-13 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance Level) Experience. At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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. Preferred Experience: 1. Licensed within discipline. 2. Experience providing both of the following psychotherapies: Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure with trauma populations. 3. Experience with differential diagnosis of Trauma and Stressor related disorders, anxiety disorders, personality and mood disorders. 4. Experience as a therapist in the Department of Veterans Affairs. 5. Experience providing additional trauma therapies including Written Exposure Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. 6. Experience with personality assessment References: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II Appendix G18 February 7, 2018. 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 GS-11 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. ["The Evidence Based Psychotherapy (EBP) for PTSD Virtual PTSD Treatment Team (VPTT) Psychologist within Psychology Section Line within the Mental Health Service Line will provide a full range of face-to-face and/or telehealth psychological services to Veterans located at a VATVCBHCS facility, with special attention to delivering Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy and EMDR to Veterans diagnosed with PTSD. In their primary role as a PTSD specialist, psychological services may include conducting assessments, delivering psychotherapy (in individual and/or group formats), and provision of consultation to medical staff regarding Veteran care issues. Administrative Responsibilities: 1. May have clinical program management responsibilities, which include the operation and management of various psychology or mental health programs within the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VATVCBHCS). May serve as clinical supervisor for employees in lower grades. 2. May have responsibility for and oversight of the administrative and programmatic resources of various clinical programs that are specialized/complex and significantly impact the delivery of health care service to veterans in the VATVCBHCS. 3. May coordinate programming within the various mental health programs with managers of other programs in mental health as well as with discipline supervisors of affected staff assigned to these programs. 4. May manage the work of various clinical programs and their staff, ensuring that work is assigned in a systematic way and meets facility and VA guidelines/standards. 5. May serve as the representative for Psychology Section on various Psychology Section, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups. 6. May actively participate in and accept leadership roles in local, state and/or national professional organizations specific to Psychology and/or Compensation and Pension Unit functions (e.g. diagnosis and assessment for the purpose of disability determination). Clinical Responsibilities: 1. Diagnose all mental disorders using the nomenclature of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS-5). 2. Provide an assessment of each Veteran using the system as set forth in DSM-5. 3. Determine when clinician-administered psychometric testing is necessary and integrate the results of such testing into the report of the examination. 4. Provide a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including the use of psychological testing for patients within VATVCBHCS in areas of special interest/expertise. 5. Perform psychological evaluations for individuals 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 contact when available, as well as objective, and cognitive tests when indicated. 6. Provide a range of psychological therapeutic interventions with individuals with mental health and medical disorders utilizing empirically supported modalities when indicated. 7. Provide evidence-based interventions for PTSD, including CPT, PE and/or EMDR. 8. Consult with and serve as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for, evaluation of, and development of psychological services in VATVCBHCS. 9. May be asked to assist in the selection, training, and supervision of staff at lower grade within assigned program area, Psychology Section, or VATVCBHCS. Academic/Teaching/Training : 1. May be asked to serve as a clinical supervisor for psychology pre-doctoral interns, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral level graduate practicum students in psychology and other related disciplines. 2. May be asked to prepare and teach seminars/workshops for VATVCBHCS trainees/staff on topics within interest/competency areas. 3. May be asked to serves as a member of various VATVCBHCS Mental Health, VATVCBHCS, and/or VISN committees. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Compressed Work Schedule: Available Telework: Ad hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual/remote position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Recruitment Incentives: may be authorized for a Highly Qualified Individual. EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN17EDRP2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Note: This is Bargaining Unit Position This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 07/18/2023. Additional applications will be referred as needed."]

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