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.

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:

• Language: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens) Education: 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
• Licensure: You 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
• Board Certification: Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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
• 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-13: Specialized Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• 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 KSAs must be Demonstrated in Your Resume Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The nature of this work is sedentary and does not require any special physical requirements

Duties

• This position is authorized to provide the right candidate with the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) which has a value of $200 -000!! The incumbent serves as a staff psychologist for the Wilkes Barre VAMC within the Pain Service
• The incumbent will serve as part of an interdisciplinary team providing care to Veterans - many of whom have complex medical conditions and mental health comorbidities
• The incumbent has a high degree of motivation - skill - and dedication to effectively deliver evidence-based psychotherapies for a variety of diagnoses - including chronic pain and co-occurring mental-health and behavioral-health conditions
• Duties and Responsibilities: Provides a full range of psychodiagnostics services - emphasizing functional assessments - and uses the most appropriate techniques in providing quality care to Veterans - including services for patients with Chronic Pain Syndrome - often with co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions - opioid-safety concerns - or complex functional barriers Provides education to patients and family members regarding Chronic Pain Syndrome and best practices and treatment approaches Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plan for patients to ensure that care is coordinated - collaborative - and integrated within the patient's care team Duties Associated with Mental Health Integration in Pain Clinic Project: Establish and/or expand co-located - collaborative - and integrated Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine service for the purposes of determining beneficial and efficient approaches to providing the following services: Same-day access - initial functional and/or risk assessment for Veterans who are not already connected with general or specialty MH services Brief treatment for MH needs when appropriate - BH treatment/intervention when appropriate (including longitudinally over time - depending on disease course) Support for engagement and coordination with general or specialty MH programs when appropriate Consultation to specialty medicine providers/clinical team members (e.g. - effective strategies for managing behavioral issues impacting care) Support project objectives which include: Advance capacity to complete (or coordinate to ensure the completion of) suicide risk assessments and provide same-day access for MH & BH needs within Pain Clinics Increase identification and referral and/or treatment of co-occurring MH conditions in Veterans that require more detailed assessment or intervention - such as for cognitive impairment (dementia) - MOUD/OUD - PTSD - anxiety - and mood disorders Increase access to MH & BH care either through offering brief MH interventions addressing comorbid MH conditions in Veterans - brief or longitudinal BH interventions - or referral to (and coordination with) specialty MH for more intensive assessment and treatment when appropriate Participates in research as appropriate through case finding and referral of patients to clinical investigators engaged in research or through participating in research studies Performs other related duties as assigned
• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Monday to Friday - 8am to 430pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• 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)
• 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 03919F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized