Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (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 appointment. Program 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.

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
• 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
• 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: 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
• 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
• 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 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above - the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
• GS-12: Experience: At least one (1) year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11)
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• 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: Experience: At least two (2) years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one (1) year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Advanced training in neuropsychology (e.g. - completed a minimum of two years of postdoctoral training appropriate to the specialty area) - as well as at least two years of experience working as a neuropsychologist
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-12 to GS-13
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9XckTotal-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Total Rewards Brochure: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This position is located in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Southeast Network (VISN 7) - VA Augusta Health Care System (VAAHCS) in Augusta - Georgia located in the Department of Mental Health
• Duties: Provides neuropsychological evaluations for Veterans - including administration - scoring - and interpretation of individual tests and batteries of tests
• Completes - in a timely manner - all clinical charting and documentation required by the medical center or healthcare system - as appropriate - including a history of the presenting problem - with an emphasis on that information needed to answer the referral question
• Conducts an extensive review of additional background information that may include - but not be limited to - developmental - educational - occupational - interpersonal - legal - medical - psychiatric and substance abuse histories
• Reviews and provides interventions to improve neurocognitive functioning - to include lifestyle changes - organizational skills - intrinsic (e.g. - mnemonic techniques) and extrinsic (e.g. - recorder reminders) - compensatory strategies - and academic and work-related accommodations - when applicable
• Develops behavior management/modification plans and strategies to address dementia-related behaviors and other cognitive impairments to decrease the need for adjunct psychotropic medication
• Provides psychoeducation - counseling - and other supportive measures to the spouse - other family members - other caregivers - and/or other VA and non-VA medical staff
• Performs evaluations to address the Veteran's ability to care for personal needs and meet other instrumental activities of daily living - to make medical and financial decisions - to safely and effectively operate a motor vehicle - and/or to continue to reside independently with or without assistance from others
• Provides clinical supervision to assigned psychology staff - students - trainees - and predoctoral interns - as part of CNVAMC APA Approved Psychology Internship Program
• May be involved in training of medical students - medical and psychiatric residents - nursing students - fellow's and other graduate trainees - as appropriate
• Consults with patients - their families - other medical professionals - attorneys - and other appropriate persons to interpret clinical findings
• Provides clinical consultation and communicates assessment findings to health care providers/clinicians directly involved in the patient's' care/rehabilitation plan - as needed
• Provides crisis intervention and triage as required to ensure appropriate assessment - disposition and resolution to acute clinical patient care issues
• Provides consultation services to other disciplines within Mental Health - across service lines and the VISN
• Actively involved in all processes leading to achievement of optimal performance measures and performance improvement initiatives for the assigned program or clinic
• May be involved in clinical program development and evaluation
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8am - 430pm
• Work scheduled subject to change based on agency need
• Recruitment Incentive: May be authorized Permanent Change of Station: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Authorized for qualifying/eligible candidates
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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 eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 56631F
• 56632F