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 May 11th - 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be December 14th - 2025. 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. *** 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:

• U.S Citizen: 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
• 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
• & 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 &/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program - which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internships: 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 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 VHA facilities that offered full-time - one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to 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 &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
• 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
• 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: GS-11 Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12 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 - & Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of & ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• Ability to design & implement effective treatment strategies
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects
• 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 years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - & Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of - & ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Ability to provide professional advice & consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Preferred Experience: VA experience preferred
• Understanding of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) within the VA
• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 FEBRUARY 7 - 2018 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: Physical demands of the work are generally minor - as the position requires sitting - standing - and walking
• A high level of self-awareness is essential
• Work - divided between office and clinical settings - is primarily sedentary
• May require prolonged standing - moderate walking - and manual dexterity
• Requires carrying light items - such as books - files - or laptop computer.

Duties

• VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This position will be based at Montrose CBOC and will provide virtual appointments in the other CBOC's
• The Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) psychologist provides functional assessment - triage - brief intervention - education - and consultative services upon referral from primary care providers and allied Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members
• The psychologist uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competence in the following core domains: Conducts brief - focused functional assessments (e.g. - 30 minutes or less) to assess substance use concerns and triage/refer to specialty care as appropriate
• Apply principals of population-based care (defines role and identifies problems rapidly)
• Uses brief measurement-based care assessments routinely (e.g. - BAM-IOP - PHQ-9 - PCL-5 - AUDIT C etc.)
• Bases initial consultation appointments on the PCMHI Functional Assessment model and develops recovery-oriented treatment goals based on functional outcomes
• Maintains daily same day access slots
• Regularly reviews schedule/grid and works to maintain next available \"scheduled\" appointment within two weeks
• Provides brief - time-limited - evidence based mental and behavioral health interventions (e.g. - 1-6 sessions) in both individual and group therapy formats
• Coordinates daily with PACT teams to coordinate population level based care Frequently screens for safety concerns and assists in safety planning with veteran while also determining disposition of care for veteran
• Frequently consults with PACT teams on safety assessments as needed
• Completes all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system - as appropriate
• Completes Phase I & II of VA PCMHI standardization training within first year of employment - if available Academic/Teaching/Training: When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - provides clinical supervision to pre-doctoral practicum students in clinical/counseling psychology - pre-doctoral psychology interns - and post-doctoral psychology fellows
• When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - supports activities of Psychology Training Program and participate in relevant educational seminars
• When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - it participates in improvement of clinical supervision skills
• When opportunities are available and it is deemed clinically appropriate - it provides training and guidance to other behavioral health staff in primary care settings
• Engages in thoughtful level-of-care decision-making and triages appropriately and efficiently to specialty mental health services Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Authorized: This position is eligible for EDRP - Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov for questions/assistance
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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: This position is authorized for telework - situational (ad hoc) and has NOT been authorized as virtual or remote
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60908-O - 60909-O - 60910-O Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized