Career Center

The Primary Care - Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) psychologist functions as part of an interdisciplinary primary care team, working closely with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members to provide consultation, facilitate warm-hand offs, and offer adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Activities include brief individual and group therapy, risk evaluations, functional assessments, and mental health support for patients with mild to moderate mental health symptoms. 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. PLEASE NOTE: Qualified clinical trainees, residents, fellows, interns, etc. are encouraged to apply; please follow the instructions in the How to Apply section.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 Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education Requirement - 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. 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 Requirement - You must 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: Candidates 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. 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:: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement GS-12 Level: at least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level, and are able to 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 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 Level: at least 2 addition years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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. *Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed. Preferred Experience: Preferred experience includes providing mental health consultation, diagnosis and treatment to Veteran patients. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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: Light lifting, light carrying, use of fingers, hearing (aid permitted), operation of a motor vehicle may be required ["Incumbents will work as a Licensed Provider, supporting the Outpatient Mental Health Section within the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System for the Department of Veterans Affairs and will practice independently in the provision of psychological services, engage in professional and scientific work which relates to behavior, capacities, personality, interests, emotions and mental disorders. consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. The primary role of this position is to provide psychological consultation to Primary Care Providers and interventions for primary care patients identified with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses (e.g. depression, anxiety disorders, and substance misuse), as well as psychological factors affecting their physical condition (e.g. sleep disturbances, treatment compliance, and pain management). Major duties and responsibilities include: Provides a full range of psychotherapeutic and psychodiagnostic services, including psychological assessment and cognitive screening, using the Behavioral Health Laboratory software program, structured diagnostic interviews, and appropriate psychological testing to provide quality care. Provides a full range of brief, solution focused therapeutic interventions to primary care patients not currently established with a mental health provider. Such interventions include cognitive and behavioral techniques, behavioral interventions, supportive therapy, and, when appropriate, insight-oriented therapy. Uses evidence-based interventions. Serves as a consultant to TVHS staff and trainees as part of the Primary Care Mental Health Integration program. Presents informed reports and educates interdisciplinary teams on the use of newly proven or evidence-based intervention techniques. Provides psychoeducation and direct guidance regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders to clients and family members when appropriate. Creates and maintains forms, surveys, instruments, and materials for proper coordination of the different treatment modules available through the Behavioral Health Lab. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Psychologist (Primary Care Mental Health Integration)/PD000000\nEDRP Authorized: Contact visn9hredrp@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]