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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. 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. 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. 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). 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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.Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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 Handbook 5005/103 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: See VA Handbook and Directive 5019 ["MAJOR DUTIES MAY INCLUDE: Participates as a member of a multi-disciplinary PCMHI providing a full range of psychological services. Interviews new patients for mental health treatment to determine symptomatic status, diagnostic impression, treatment plan, and assignment to appropriate treatment modality, Administers, scores, and interprets a broad range of psychological tests for the assessment of pertinent psychological and behavioral characteristics, Writes psycho-diagnostic consultation on ambulatory patients in medical and some specialized clinics based on data from interviews and from intellectual and personality tests, Conducts individual, group, marital, and family psychotherapy, and applies other specialized psychotherapeutic techniques as appropriate to meet the treatment needs of mental health patients, Develops and facilitates psychoeducational groups relevant to the needs of PCMHI and Whole Health. Refers patients to other VA facilities when needed treatment is unavailable at this station or to other community agencies when the patient is not eligible for VA treatment programs, Consults with Mental Health staff in other programs to coordinate psychological services to an overlapping patient population, Consults with and advises the staff of inpatient units throughout the hospital system regarding psychological treatment needs of patients. Maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and skills by involvement in appropriate continuing education activities, Provides individual psychotherapy to veterans with complex mental health problems and provides couples, family and/or group psychotherapy promoting healthy adaptation. Administers/scores or evaluates psychodiagnostic tests, including cognitive screening. Contributes to the gathering of assessment information and the development of a detailed treatment plan for veterans. Serves as an advisor, consultant and/or resource person to the staff within the outpatient clinic. Participates in the following at the direction or approval of the Director of Mental Health Services: Designs, conducts, and reports the results of research relevant to psychology as a body of knowledge and to the effective delivery of high-quality mental health services: Designs and implements with other treatment staff the evaluation of treatment efforts or services of health care delivery programs and support in the hospital, or Consults with or provides psychological services to treatment programs or hospital services outside of his/her primary duty assignment. Participates in Crisis Management for walk-in mental health patients, assessing for safety and developing plan for stabilization. Teaches and supervises psychology interns, postdoctoral residents, or practicum students receiving training in mental health services, as appropriate. Assists in the supervision of psychiatry residents, medical students, social work trainees, work-study students, and volunteers assigned to the Togus Main campus or CBOCs, as appropriate. Serves on/chairs task groups or administrative committees of the Psychology Section, Mental Health Services, or Medical Center at the direction of the Director of Mental Health Services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized Telework: Telework Ad-Hoc work can be performed on an as needed basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 402-F04339, 402-F04340, 402-F04341 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Amy.Haley@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is in the Excepted Service. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) will be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment. This position is covered by a special rate. This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. Selectee may be required to work at any VA Maine Healthcare System campus, as needed. May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's."]

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