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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Staff Psychologist (BHL) Near Orlando, FL

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.
• 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. OR (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the 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 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. AND
• Internship: (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 (pre-1979) 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.
• 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 temporary appointment as a graduate psychologist at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 USC 7405 for a period not to exceed two years of 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.)
• 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). All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

• Employees grandfathered under this provision for this revision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions or beyond the assignment currently held for those being grandfathered to assignments above FPL.
• Psychologists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Psychologists initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

NOTE: If psychologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:
Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry level)

• (none beyond basic requirements)

Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental level)

• 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.

Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full performance level)

• At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

Preferred Experience: Those applicants who have experience with measurement based care, solution focused therapy, educational training experience, Health Psychology experience, and are proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint are highly preferred.

References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18

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: The physical demands of the work requires light lifting, under 15 lbs.; Light carrying, under 15 lbs.; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking, Standing; Both legs required; Hearing (aid permitted).

Responsibilities:

This is an Open and Continuous announcement (for multiple locations) and can be taken down at any time.

(Salary indicated is 2023 rates, will increase to 2024 rates once they become available)

This Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) psychologist will be assigned to the Psychology Service of the Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVHCS) - Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL). BHL behavioral health providers function as part of the fast-paced primary care environment with the goal of assisting PACT and Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) members with identification, treatment, and management of mental health and behavioral medicine conditions in the enrolled population. This psychologist reports clinically and administratively to the BHL program manager. The BHL psychologist is expected to provide assigned behavioral health services within the Mental Health Service for Primary Care patients. The selectee will be expected to adhere to service standards regarding matters of timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with procedures and quantity of work produced. Some of the duties include, but are not limited to;

• Provides care management services to Veterans referred to BHL to include (but not limited to) Comprehensive assessments, Referral management, Care Management for Depression and behavioral health interventions.
• Provides diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to program and primary care setting, especially in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems.
• Uses intermittent visit strategy and flexible patient contact strategies.
• Triages appropriately and efficiently to other mental health services.
• Provides education to patients, family members, and significant others.
• Consults with and serves as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for, evaluation of, and development of psychological services in OVHCS.
• Manages the Behavioral Health Lab (BHL) Software and develops a working knowledge of the production end of the BHL software program.
• Assists in coordinating and implementing technology and training in regard to the use of telehealth across sites of care.
• Prepares timely summaries of collected data to the direct supervisor.
• Supervises pre-doctoral psychology trainees, and may participate in the supervision of trainees in other disciplines, including medical and psychiatric residents assigned to the Primary care service for rotations.
• Develops and/or makes available relevant education and training programs for all BHL/PCMHI staff to ensure that culturally competent care is provided.
• Provides leadership and guidance in carrying out program planning, outcome evaluation, and staff development activities.
• Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements if/when these become required for the clinical performance measures or best practice guidelines, using a data-driven quality assurance process.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm. However, the selectee may be required to work or travel between any of the locations within Corporate Orlando, including the Lake Nona campus. The selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis, based on patient care needs.
Telework: May be available for highly qualified candidates. (may telework 3 days per pay period, upon supervisor approval)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Clinical or Counseling Psychologist, Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) #80566F/80565F/80561F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator (VISN8CCOE@va.gov) for questions/assistance. Learn more
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary