Psychologist - Veterans Readjustment Counselor

Summary

Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) is a unique service within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that provides readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans - Active Duty Service Members (ADSM) - and their families. RCS consists of direct counseling services - community outreach - and referral services to community providers - VA and non-VA. Readjustment counseling is provided to eligible individuals through 300 Vet Centers - over 80 Mobile Vet Centers - other points of care.

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

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA psychologist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C.
• 7402
• To qualify for appointment - all applicants for the position of psychologist in VHA must meet the following: 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: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• 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
• 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 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and - 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
• 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
• ~OR~ 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
• Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to psychologist positions in the GS-0180 series in VHA 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 addition to the basic requirements above for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade level for each candidate
• GS-11 (Entry Level): None beyond the Basic Requirements
• 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
• ~AND~ Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): 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 (Full Performance Level): Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• ~AND~ 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
• ~AND~ Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): 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 Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) The full Performance level of the GS-0180 Psychologist job series is GS-13
• The actual grade at which a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is either the GS-11 - GS-12 or the GS-13 grade level.
  
  

Duties

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date
• 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
• Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions / assistance
• NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker - Psychologist - Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - and Marriage & Family Therapist
• Each discipline is announced separately - and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified
• Duties of this position include - but are not limited to: Intake Screening and Assessment: The incumbent will work directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship and complete all required readjustment counseling intake procedures - including an assessment of risk for self-harm - military history and military related psychosocial stressors
• Readjustment Counseling Goal Setting and Service Planning: Based on the outcome of the initial psychosocial assessment - the incumbent will develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions - including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes
• Direct Readjustment Counseling Service Provision: The incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential psychosocial assessment and direct service delivery to eligible Veterans - including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnostic inferences within the clinical scope of practice
• Risk Assessment and Crisis Intervention: The incumbent will conduct timely assessment of Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs - evaluate risk - and initiate safety planning as appropriate
• Care Coordination: The incumbent links the Veteran with other community services - resources - and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence - health - and well-being
• Coordinating Readjustment Counseling and Outreach: The incumbent will maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services for those individuals engaged in the community at outreach events that may require follow-up readjustment counseling
• Team Cohesion and Coordination: Under the supervision of the Vet Center Director - the incumbent will actively participate in Vet Center staff meetings designed to promote team building and staff development through conjoint planning and problem solving - staff discussion of problematic cases - coaching and mentoring new Vet Center staff hires - and addressing issues of staff self­care
• Documentation / Administrative Responsibilities / Consultation: The incumbent will document all clinical interactions with eligible individuals and episodes of care coordination on their behalf as required by RCS policy
• Responsiveness to Other Duties as Assigned: The incumbent will proactively address all other duties as assigned and directed by the Vet Center Director
• Other Duties: As assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• Some nights and weekends may be required Compressed / Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Ad Hoc
• May be available based on the needs of the service Virtual: This is not a Virtual position Relocation / Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Functional Statement #: PD63063A - PD63064A - and PD63065A Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health / vision / dental / term life / long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).