Summary

Position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

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: 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 & 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 & 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
• OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology & 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: Re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program & 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 &/or certificate documenting completion of re-specialization program - which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship
• Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above & who were employed by the Department of VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• AND Internships Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & 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 & 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 - employee is required to maintain board certification.) OR Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 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 VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard
• Licensure: Hold a full - current & unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State - Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or District of Columbia
• English Language Proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken & 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 & meet the criteria)
• Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses & similar areas for meetings & to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunction with travel to & attendance at meetings &/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry & lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds
• See VA Directive & Handbook 5019
• 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.

Duties

• Duties of this include - but are not limited to: GS-13 Level Duties: Consult with the NEPEC PTSD Evaluation Project Director on subject matters associated with the evaluation of PTSD treatment program nationwide and make recommendations about evaluation methods and implementation
• Conceptualize - design and implement evaluation studies examining PTSD services across the nation
• Prepare evaluation reports - presentations - written communications to the field and translation of findings for lay audiences to assist NEPEC in disseminating findings from the PTSD program evaluation
• Interpret findings from the NEPEC PTSD National Evaluation projects and make recommendations to the PTSD Evaluation Project Director at NEPEC for policy and performance improvement
• Conduct statistical analyses on VA national MH data from CDW and prepare relevant reports for NEPEC
• Develop dashboards and other analytics tools from CDW to analyze and present PTSD treatment related data to the field
• Provide excellent customer service to the National PTSD outpatient Clinic Directors - the PTSD Residential Treatment Programs (DOMs) Managers and VISN Mental Health Chiefs when communicating NEPEC policies and evaluation results - when troubleshooting difficulties with data-related tools - and explaining national - VISN - facility - and program level data
• provide EBP treatment to patients diagnosed with PTSD and associated co-morbid disorders - delivered in individual - group - virtual - and/or family treatment formats
• Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or Healthcare System - as appropriate
• Oversee the establishment of program monitoring efforts and outcome measurement within programs assigned using data-driven quality assurance processes
• Maintain competency as a psychologist in his/her areas of specialization through continuing education and other activities as required for the position
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Ad Hoc is Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Hannah Neilson at Hannah.Neilson@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Notifications: This is not a Bargaining Unit Position
• 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
• Selectee will be required to complete additional forms to proceed with employment process.