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:

• 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: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English
• Education: Must possess one of the following: 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
• OR 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and 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
• Internship: In addition to one of the above - you must also meet the internship requirements to be found qualified for this position: 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.) 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: You must possess a current - permanent - full - and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a state - District of Columbia - the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - or a territory of the United States
• Exception
• Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the 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
• You MUST upload a copy of your Psychology license to be considered for this position unless you meet the exception
• **** See education for additional Information
• 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 (Entry Level) Requirement: Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 (Developmental Level) Requirements: 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
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: 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 psychologist 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 (Full Performance Level) Requirements: Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - do you possess 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 - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: 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: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: No special physical qualifications are required to perform the work
• The work requires the ability to move around the office and facility
• The work is performed in offices and meeting rooms
• (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019)

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This Clinical Psychologist (PCMHI) position is in the Mental Health Service at the VA Maine Healthcare Systems - located at the Portland - ME location
• This position is full-time - at 40 hours per week
• MAJOR DUTIES MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: Participates as a member of a multi-disciplinary PCMHI providing a full range of psychological services
• Interviews new patients for mental health treatment to determine symptomatic status - diagnostic impression - treatment plan - and assignment to appropriate treatment modality - Writes psycho-diagnostic consultation on ambulatory patients in medical and some specialized clinics based on data from interviews and from intellectual and personality tests - Develops and facilitates psychoeducational groups relevant to the needs of PCMHI and Whole Health
• Refers patients to other VA facilities when needed treatment is unavailable at this station or to other community agencies when the patient is not eligible for VA treatment programs - Consults with Mental Health staff in other programs to coordinate psychological services to an overlapping patient population -
• Maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and skills by involvement in appropriate continuing education activities - Provides individual psychotherapy to veterans with complex mental health problems and provides couples - family and/or group psychotherapy promoting healthy adaptation
• Administers/scores or evaluates psychodiagnostic tests - including cognitive screening
• Contributes to the gathering of assessment information and the development of a detailed treatment plan for veterans
• Serves as an advisor - consultant and/or resource person to the staff within the outpatient clinic
• Teaches and supervises psychology interns - postdoctoral residents - or practicum students receiving training in mental health services - as appropriate
• Assists in the supervision of psychiatry residents - medical students - social work trainees - work-study students - and volunteers assigned to the Togus Main campus or CBOCs - as appropriate
• Serves on/chairs task groups or administrative committees of the Psychology Section - Mental Health Services - or Medical Center at the direction of the Director of Mental Health Services Work Schedule: Full-time
• Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible:May be authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Hannah.Neilson@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more EDRP Code: 00 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: This position is in the Excepted Service
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a locality-based comparability pay
• Selectee may be required to work at any VA Maine Healthcare System campus - as needed
• May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure - and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.