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

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until September 30 - 2025 or until position is filled. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled.

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 & written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• Drivers License Requirement: Must possess a valid unrestricted State Issued Driver's License
• 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 & not to specific job duties that might require special skills
• OR (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology & - 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
• & (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
• OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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
• Licensure Hold a full - current - & unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State - Territory - or Commonwealth of the United States - or the District of Columbia
• Grade Determinations: Psychology Program Manager - GS-14 Experience
• At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level
• Assignment GS-14 level
• Responsibilities include operation & management of key clinical - training - research - or administrative programs to include full responsibility for managing the day to day activities of those programs
• Psychologist Program Managers are responsible for strategic planning to ensure the provision of high quality services to meet the needs of the Veterans being served & planning - & developing & implementing short- & long-term goals & objectives consistent with the program's strategic plan
• They have oversight of administrative & programmatic resources & deploy those resources in support of the program needs
• They develop & implement programs - policies - & procedures to meet program goals - VHA policy & external accreditation requirements - & monitor outcomes using data-driven quality assurance processes - & implement strategies for improvement based on data analysis
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - & Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to organize work - set priorities - delegate tasks - & meet multiple deadlines
• Knowledge of & ability to utilize evidence based practices & clinical practice guidelines appropriately & ability to guide staff in using these tools
• Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds - interests - & points of view
• Skill in managing & directing the work of others to accomplish program goals & objectives
• Ability to translate management goals & objectives into well-coordinated & controlled work operations
• Ability to establish & monitor production & performance priorities & standards
• Ability to analyze organizational & operational problems & to develop & implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program
• Preferred Experience: VA Experience Preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The position is generally involving activities normally associated office based mental health practices
• No unusual physical demands are placed on the incumbent
• The work requires extreme patience and control of emotions in a multi-disciplinary work setting
• Occasional automobile driving may be necessary in meeting one's responsibilities.

Duties

• The Suicide Prevention Program Manager is a very complex assignment - working in the facility and multiple communities across a large geographic area (18 counties in 3 states) to provide advocacy - training - and clinical consultation for the most vulnerable - high-risk patients
• The Suicide Prevention Program Manager supervises the facility Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment (REACH-VET) program - including direct supervision of the REACH-VET Coordinator - who is an advanced practice licensed social worker - and the REACH VET Nurse Case Manager - who is a registered nurse
• The REACH-VET program provides care coordination for Veterans with complex care needs - who are at increased risk for adverse outcomes - including suicide - hospitalizations - overdose - falls - and emergency room visits
• Works with Mental Health Leadership advising providers from diverse disciplines regarding interventions to mitigate risk for Veterans with complex mental health - substance abuse and medical risk factors
• Extensive collaboration with a range of VA and community partners including law enforcement agencies and first responders - county Medical Examiners - VA Central Office - VA Regional Counsel and VISN leadership
• The Suicide Prevention Program Manager performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised on the SPP
• Performs a wide range of services and provides technical assistance to state - local - and private agencies - and universities
• In addition - the Suicide Prevention Program Manager provides clinical mental health services - providing expert-level assistance to Veterans in the following areas: Use advanced knowledge and mastery of theories of mental illness and specialized treatment to develop a diagnosis and treatment plan
• Independently develops the mental health treatment plan and recovery goals with the Veteran
• Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for various types of crisis including housing and financial emergencies - psychiatric relapse - potential suicide - violence - and other high-risk behaviors and/or situations
• Provide intensive case management services to assigned Veterans and significant others - consistent with the goal of the VA Mental Health Initiative - and with all relevant medical center policies and procedures
• Complete documentation in compliance with appropriate documentation standards
• Throughout the course of treatment the psychologist is the specialist on VA and/or community resources
• Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs
• Responsible for using current resources and community service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans
• Refer the Veteran to needed services
• Provides consultation to colleagues and other employees on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans
• - Leading all Suicide Prevention Program (SPP) responses to audits of the facility's suicide prevention efforts - to include visits by the Office of the Inspector General - the Joint Commission - and others
• - Responsibility for facility and VISN issue briefs required for effective communication regarding self-directed violence
• - Serving on facility and VISN-level committees and workgroups impacting policies and practice patterns
• - Assists the Chief of Mental Health in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May Be Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May Be Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Jillana.martinez@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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: AD-Hoc May be Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 608310 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized