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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Staff Psychologist (Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program) Near Salem, VA

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: 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: 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: 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.
  • (1) 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.

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 Staff Psychologist:
Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Staff Psychologist:
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.

GS-13 Staff Psychologist:
Experience. At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 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, 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

References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Psychologist 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 incumbent must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the incumbent or others. Position involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities:

**Recruitment/Relocation Incentive of up to $15,000 may be available to highly qualified applicants with a 3 year service agreement.**

This position is assigned to the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program. The SUD program offers a continuum of evidence-based, interdisciplinary services to Veterans with substance use disorders. Treatment focuses on identification of factors that elicit and reinforce substance misuse and addiction, on methods of altering and coping with these factors, and on alleviation of problems that have resulted from substance use disorders. Research indicates that skill and motivation deficits are problematic for this population and can contribute to the maintenance of substance use disorders.

Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, and may conduct research.

The following specific clinical duties will be provided by the SUD psychologist:

• Provide screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depressive and anxiety-related disorders, as well as other mental health symptoms, with an emphasis on the application of time-limited, evidence-based treatment approaches to include Motivational Interviewing/Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders
• Conduct diagnostic interview and comprehensive psychological assessment, to include personality, intellectual, cognitive, and emotional functioning
• Assess and provide treatments for sub-clinical symptoms of depression and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, and excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs.
• Provide psychological prevention services to patients at significant risk for psychological problems.
• Provide individual and group interventions to support patients' mental health needs.
• Provide clinical services through the use of telemental health technology.
• Promote communication/interactions between medical team members, patients, and their families to facilitate the medical treatment process.
• Provides counseling assistance and serves as a resource person for the medical center's Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Provide screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or dementia assessment is needed.
• Facilitate transition of Veterans to higher level of SUD care as indicated during assessment
• Provide support to Veterans received medications for substance use
• Provide psychoeducational and supportive interventions in conjunction with the veteran for spouses, family members/caregivers, and others who are members of Veterans support system
• Connect Veterans to community support programs for substance use

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized to highly qualified candidates with a 3 year service agreement.
EDRP Authorized: Contact Christopher Cullen, christopher.cullen@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary