PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER

Summary

The Psychology Program Manager serves as the director of psychology training programs at all levels at the Birmingham VAHCS: practicum/externship - internship - and postdoctoral fellowship. The Duty Location is at the Birmingham East VA Clinic - and coordinates with psychology supervisors at the medical center and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

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
• 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 (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
• 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.] c
• 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
• Board Certification and Loss of Credential (1) Board Certification
• Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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
• The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education
• 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: (a) Experience
• At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level
• (b) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Ability to organize work - set priorities - delegate tasks - and meet multiple deadlines
• 2
• Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools
• 3
• Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups
• 4
• Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives
• 5
• Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations
• 6
• Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards
• 7
• Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program
• (c) Assignment
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety - and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Psychologist program managers have broad program management responsibilities for a specific program or programs that are designed to deliver specialized - complex - highly professional services that are important program components of the facility and that significantly impact the health care provided to Veterans
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the 14
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
  
  

Duties

• VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional You will provide direct patient care as a licensed Psychologist with a doctorate in clinical or counseling psychology
• The incumbent will establish and maintain therapeutic relationships and exercise professional judgement to provide treatment for veterans
• As a clinical care provider - the incumbent is a psychologist - defined as a credentialed and privileged Licensed Independent Practitioner who functions as an essential member of the interdisciplinary treatment team
• provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care
• performs evaluations for veterans' mental health disorders
• provides a full range of specialized individual and group-based empirically supported psychological interventions to mental health patients whose conditions indicate a need for the advanced skill and training of licensed psychologist
• reviews and translates psychological research into practical interventions for improved patient treatment outcomes
• consults with Medical Center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues
• assesses the need for referral for additional psychological services for patients
• coordinates with other providers throughout the VBAMC when other interventions such as psychiatric - medical or palliative care are required
• is responsible for accurate - timely and appropriate completion of clinical patient care documentation
• You will also engage in non-direct clinical activities - including participating in staff meetings - data management - and program development
• You may also engage in research - and administrative services consistent with the mission
• You will seek to maintain relationships with staff that are conducive to an interdisciplinary approach to service deliver
• As a scientist practitioner - the incumbent routinely searches literature relevant to mental health treatment
• You may engage in activities both within and outside the facility that promote the conduct of independent - peer-reviewed - and/or funded research projects
• You may function as a principal - co-principal - or collaborative investigator
• The activities may include proposing investigations - coordinating their conduct - recruiting subjects - reviewing data - and submitting findings in publishable form
• You may also engage in the following extra-clinical enriching elements: provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and level of training - including psychology interns - psychiatry residents - and other students/trainees involved in the Psychology Training Program and the Training Committee
• serve as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees on a wide variety of patient care issues as needed
• serve on BVAMC - VISN - and /or National VA committees or task forces
• represent Psychology on decision-making committees at the Medical Center
• actively participate in leadership roles with local - state and national level professional organizations
• represent the Medical Center at Professional or community events and committees
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Schedule start time may be negotiated e.g
• 7:30am-4:00pm - 7:00am-3:30 Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60043F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized