Career Center

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. NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. [Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards.] OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND (4) 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 (pre1979) 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 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. NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard. Licensure. 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. Loss of Credential. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level)Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level) 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. See Education section for continued requirements. ["The incumbent serves as a staff psychologist assigned to the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center (located in Clarksburg, West Virginia) VAMC Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) which includes 3 tracks: Combat-related PTSD, Substance Abuse, and Psychosocial/mental health. Veterans in the MH RRTP traditionally have complex health care and psychosocial needs that require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem solving. The MH RRTP Psychologist will plan, develop, and deliver education, referral, and individual and group therapy to dually diagnosed patients within the Mental Health residential and outpatient clinical area. The position emphasizes the provision of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy (EBP) as appropriate to training and patient care needs. The incumbent accomplishes these tasks in collaboration with other team members of the MH RRRTP Interdisciplinary Team. The staff psychologist may be asked to serve on committees/other leadership roles related to their assigned duties. Major Duties/Responsibilities - Psychologist- Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program. Assessment and Evaluation: Incumbent may interview and evaluate patients in order to analyze historical and dynamic factors pertaining to their illness with special concern for factors relating to diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment variables. Works with patients who present particularly difficult diagnostic, prognostic, or treatment problems. Obtains and evaluates personal, educational, and vocational histories, reviews records of other services for pertinent data. Administers, scores, and interprets psychological assessment instruments. When assessing or providing patient care, the employee considers the age of the patient as it relates to the ability to understand directions, to provide objective self-assessment, or to respond to any other medical milieu appropriate to the overall treatment plan. This requires the knowledge of psychological characteristics of all age groups. Individual Psychotherapy: The incumbent will plan, conduct, record, evaluate, and report on individual psychotherapy sessions. Individual psychotherapy refers to the professional process whereby the psychologist assists the patient in working through problems and formulating plans and ideas as distinct from those activities principally concerned with evaluating his/her potential and past history of training/experience. Specifically, incumbent assists patients by evaluating their assets and liabilities and in their attempts to understand themselves, to achieve better interpersonal relationships, and to adapt themselves more effectively to their environments. In individual therapy, the use of evidence based treatment models is encouraged as well as the use of measurement based care. Group Psychotherapy: The incumbent will develop, conduct, record, evaluate and report on group psychotherapy sessions, as well as facilitate patient education meetings, milieu and ward therapy programs. May conduct family therapy sessions. Consultation: May consult with other psychologists, consultants, professional staff, medical center management, or individuals and organizations in the community, usually relating to the status of or plans for patients, problems or procedures. Training: May plan and personally participate in station-wide training programs and in the training of psychologists and other personnel. Receives training from staff psychologists and other professional personnel including supervision, in-service training, and station workshops and seminars. Regular contacts are made with patients in the MH RRTP. Frequent contacts are made with other services in the medical center. This position requires close coordination with physicians, consulting psychiatrists, social workers, and other psychologists, as well as other technical services for proper evaluation and treatment of patients. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00AM to 4:30 PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact visn5edrpcoordinators@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized: Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

Return to Search Results