Psychologist (Centralized Eligibility Team)
The incumbent is assigned to the VISN, within the Caregiver Support Program (CSP). The incumbent although stationed at the VISN-with primary role of CSP clinical eligibility reviewer-may have clinical privileges and credentialing at a VA Medical Center (VAMC). The incumbent may have up to 25% of their time dedicated to a combination of direct clinical care, academic teaching/training, research, and/or program evaluation at a VAMC. This work would be separate from caregiver support. The duties for the incumbent, must be at least 75% administrative and related to the CET. The other duties will be determined by the incumbent and their VISN leadership. (NOTE:
The CET members cannot conduct assessments for the CET program, at the facility. Furthermore, the incumbent would need to recuse themselves from caring for any Veteran or caregiver who is currently applying for or participating in the PCAFC to avoid a conflict of interest.) Each individual CET team member will review the Veteran's medical record summary, most recent History & Physical, findings of recent testing at the facility, caregiver assessment and care team input. The team member will present their respective findings to the inter-professional team. The team will meet and render a multi-disciplinary decision regarding clinical eligibility, based on all eligibility requirements. If deemed eligible, the team will also determine the appropriate level of caregiving required (tier level). Each team will document the findings and determination and communicate the decision with the referring facility or region. Duties include but are not limited to:
Administrative
Responsibilities:
(1) Reviews dispositions of PCAFC initial eligibility decisions; reassessments; and appeal decisions for clinical eligibly determinations, within 45 days of receipt from facilities and other CSP VISN CET. This is done from a psychological perspective. (2) Analyzes mental health data obtained from VHA electronic health record and collateral records for use in determining PCAFC clinical eligibility and documents findings in approved CSP PCAFC templated notes. (3) Works with inter-professional team members at Regional, VISN and facility levels to ensure PCAFC eligibility determinations are delivered objectively with strong, consistent inter-rater agreement and with documentation and communication of outcomes in a direct and coordinated manner. (4) Utilizes knowledge of PCAFC clinical eligibility to coordinate with other regional CETs the transfer of appeals for inter-VISN evaluation. (5) Brings a knowledge of and ability to administer, score and interpret the widest array of psychometric psychological assessments (e.g., attention/concentration, memory, executive functioning, intelligence, reasoning and judgement) to assist CET with case disposition and team's recommendations. (6) Conducts Peer Reviews from a psychological standpoint, which may occur at the regional level, to aide in achieving consistency nationally. (7) Collaborates with and contributes knowledge to a community of practice across VISN's and Regions with CSP CSC's and CET members. Facility
Responsibilities:
(1) Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including use of psychological testing for non-CSP PCAFC applicants. (2) Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. (3) Provide comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. (4) Provides education to patients, family members, significant others, and community members. (5) Functions as a member of the assigned mental health or specialty mental health care team. The incumbent assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. 6) Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychology interns and post-doctoral residents. (7) Evaluates program progress and outcomes and utilizes data to continuously modify and improve the program and processes. (8) May serve as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or Consultant on projects approved by appropriate IRB's. 9) Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces. 10) Represents Psychology on decision-making committees at the Medical Center or Healthcare System. Work Schedule:
Full-Time, Mon-Fri Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/24/2020. 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 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. 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. Grade Determinations:
Applicant must have at least two years of experience as a professional psychologist (or two years experience as a post doctoral resident/fellow in psychology) with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Preferred
Experience:
The incumbent is capable of practicing as a psychologist and has specialized knowledge of not only the functional limitations and abilities of the population served by the CSP PCAFC, but the statute, regulations, and policy that govern the program. References:
VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II, Appendix G18 dated February 7, 2018. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements:
Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and the Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require minimal travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who assist and support to the Caregiver Support program, its Veterans and caregivers. There may also be occasional travel, typically via car, to the VISN 6 Medical Centers, and there may be occasional travel, via car or airplane, to National VA Conferences. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as:
preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
The CET members cannot conduct assessments for the CET program, at the facility. Furthermore, the incumbent would need to recuse themselves from caring for any Veteran or caregiver who is currently applying for or participating in the PCAFC to avoid a conflict of interest.) Each individual CET team member will review the Veteran's medical record summary, most recent History & Physical, findings of recent testing at the facility, caregiver assessment and care team input. The team member will present their respective findings to the inter-professional team. The team will meet and render a multi-disciplinary decision regarding clinical eligibility, based on all eligibility requirements. If deemed eligible, the team will also determine the appropriate level of caregiving required (tier level). Each team will document the findings and determination and communicate the decision with the referring facility or region. Duties include but are not limited to:
Administrative
Responsibilities:
(1) Reviews dispositions of PCAFC initial eligibility decisions; reassessments; and appeal decisions for clinical eligibly determinations, within 45 days of receipt from facilities and other CSP VISN CET. This is done from a psychological perspective. (2) Analyzes mental health data obtained from VHA electronic health record and collateral records for use in determining PCAFC clinical eligibility and documents findings in approved CSP PCAFC templated notes. (3) Works with inter-professional team members at Regional, VISN and facility levels to ensure PCAFC eligibility determinations are delivered objectively with strong, consistent inter-rater agreement and with documentation and communication of outcomes in a direct and coordinated manner. (4) Utilizes knowledge of PCAFC clinical eligibility to coordinate with other regional CETs the transfer of appeals for inter-VISN evaluation. (5) Brings a knowledge of and ability to administer, score and interpret the widest array of psychometric psychological assessments (e.g., attention/concentration, memory, executive functioning, intelligence, reasoning and judgement) to assist CET with case disposition and team's recommendations. (6) Conducts Peer Reviews from a psychological standpoint, which may occur at the regional level, to aide in achieving consistency nationally. (7) Collaborates with and contributes knowledge to a community of practice across VISN's and Regions with CSP CSC's and CET members. Facility
Responsibilities:
(1) Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including use of psychological testing for non-CSP PCAFC applicants. (2) Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. (3) Provide comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. (4) Provides education to patients, family members, significant others, and community members. (5) Functions as a member of the assigned mental health or specialty mental health care team. The incumbent assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. 6) Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychology interns and post-doctoral residents. (7) Evaluates program progress and outcomes and utilizes data to continuously modify and improve the program and processes. (8) May serve as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or Consultant on projects approved by appropriate IRB's. 9) Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces. 10) Represents Psychology on decision-making committees at the Medical Center or Healthcare System. Work Schedule:
Full-Time, Mon-Fri Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/24/2020. 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 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. 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. Grade Determinations:
Applicant must have at least two years of experience as a professional psychologist (or two years experience as a post doctoral resident/fellow in psychology) with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Preferred
Experience:
The incumbent is capable of practicing as a psychologist and has specialized knowledge of not only the functional limitations and abilities of the population served by the CSP PCAFC, but the statute, regulations, and policy that govern the program. References:
VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II, Appendix G18 dated February 7, 2018. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements:
Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and the Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require minimal travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who assist and support to the Caregiver Support program, its Veterans and caregivers. There may also be occasional travel, typically via car, to the VISN 6 Medical Centers, and there may be occasional travel, via car or airplane, to National VA Conferences. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as:
preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
- Department:
0180 Psychology - Salary Range:
$91,231 to $123,247 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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