Psychologist (Service Chief)
Duties include, but are not limited to:
Provides full professional and administrative oversight for the complex professional and administrative responsibilities of Psychologists, Peer Support Staff within the service and Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists, including a broad range of vocational work therapy programs and related fiscal matters. Supervises and provides direct clinical services involving professional and scientific work which relates to behavior, capacities, traits, interest, and emotions. Oversees the provision of psychological and behavioral treatment interventions including group and individual psychotherapy sessions with inpatients and outpatients which may include any psychiatric, including chemical dependency/substance abuse disorders, and medical category using interventions selected from diverse areas of psychological theory and practice. Ensures that Psychologists evaluate the therapeutic situation and employ independent and appropriate clinical judgment and skill in determining the specific techniques to be used. Ensures that Psychology Service staff appropriately present to other medical center staff diagnostic impressions, personality descriptions and dynamic formulations to assist in final diagnosis, specific plans for treatment, changes in hospital disposition and suitable patient activities. Develops and implements programs, policies and procedures. Provides oversight of administrative and programmatic resources. Determines the structure and function of clinical programs. Oversees CARF related accreditation requirements. policies and procedures for the PRRC, VI and SARRTP Programs. Provides professional and administrative oversight over the Psychology Internship/Externship and Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Programs. Ensures APA Accreditation is obtained and maintained for the Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Programs. Provides oversight for the processes and procedures for completion of mental health compensation and pension exams when assigned to Staff Psychologists. Oversees the ongoing operation of the Medical Center's integrated Program to reduce the risk of disruptive behavior and violence at the facility. Coordinates the Disruptive Behavior Committee (DBC), Behavioral Patient Record Flag (PRF) Program and Employee Threat Assessment Team (ETAT). Co-chair of the facility dementia committee and is a member of the VISN dementia steering committee. Clinical consultant and organizational liaison for the Long Island Vet Center Program. Provides professional clinical services and clinical consultation, as well as conducting research. Carries out education and training activities. Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8:
00 AM - 4:
30 PM Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. 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. 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 respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization 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. 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 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 (pre1979) 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. 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. Creditable
Experience:
Current Professional Psychology Practice. To be creditable, psychological work experience can be obtained through paid or non-paid employment providing psychological work or through participating in a supervised postdoctoral psychology training program (i.e., fellowship or residency). Psychological work experience must have occurred after the doctoral degree was obtained and must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional psychology practice. Professional psychology practice includes but is not limited to the following psychology-oriented job duties:
providing professional clinical services, conducting research, carrying out education and training activities, carrying out program evaluation activities, clinical consultation, supervision and administration. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding professional psychology experience at the next lower level. Part-time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek. For example, a psychologist employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service. Post-Doctoral Degree Fellowships. Post-Doctoral fellowships or residencies are training programs in an advanced area of clinical practice. Training as a fellow or resident is considered to be creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Grade Determination- GS-14 Psychologist (Service Chief):
Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. References:
VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Physical Requirements:
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
Provides full professional and administrative oversight for the complex professional and administrative responsibilities of Psychologists, Peer Support Staff within the service and Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists, including a broad range of vocational work therapy programs and related fiscal matters. Supervises and provides direct clinical services involving professional and scientific work which relates to behavior, capacities, traits, interest, and emotions. Oversees the provision of psychological and behavioral treatment interventions including group and individual psychotherapy sessions with inpatients and outpatients which may include any psychiatric, including chemical dependency/substance abuse disorders, and medical category using interventions selected from diverse areas of psychological theory and practice. Ensures that Psychologists evaluate the therapeutic situation and employ independent and appropriate clinical judgment and skill in determining the specific techniques to be used. Ensures that Psychology Service staff appropriately present to other medical center staff diagnostic impressions, personality descriptions and dynamic formulations to assist in final diagnosis, specific plans for treatment, changes in hospital disposition and suitable patient activities. Develops and implements programs, policies and procedures. Provides oversight of administrative and programmatic resources. Determines the structure and function of clinical programs. Oversees CARF related accreditation requirements. policies and procedures for the PRRC, VI and SARRTP Programs. Provides professional and administrative oversight over the Psychology Internship/Externship and Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Programs. Ensures APA Accreditation is obtained and maintained for the Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Programs. Provides oversight for the processes and procedures for completion of mental health compensation and pension exams when assigned to Staff Psychologists. Oversees the ongoing operation of the Medical Center's integrated Program to reduce the risk of disruptive behavior and violence at the facility. Coordinates the Disruptive Behavior Committee (DBC), Behavioral Patient Record Flag (PRF) Program and Employee Threat Assessment Team (ETAT). Co-chair of the facility dementia committee and is a member of the VISN dementia steering committee. Clinical consultant and organizational liaison for the Long Island Vet Center Program. Provides professional clinical services and clinical consultation, as well as conducting research. Carries out education and training activities. Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8:
00 AM - 4:
30 PM Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. 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. 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 respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization 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. 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 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 (pre1979) 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. 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. Creditable
Experience:
Current Professional Psychology Practice. To be creditable, psychological work experience can be obtained through paid or non-paid employment providing psychological work or through participating in a supervised postdoctoral psychology training program (i.e., fellowship or residency). Psychological work experience must have occurred after the doctoral degree was obtained and must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional psychology practice. Professional psychology practice includes but is not limited to the following psychology-oriented job duties:
providing professional clinical services, conducting research, carrying out education and training activities, carrying out program evaluation activities, clinical consultation, supervision and administration. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding professional psychology experience at the next lower level. Part-time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek. For example, a psychologist employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service. Post-Doctoral Degree Fellowships. Post-Doctoral fellowships or residencies are training programs in an advanced area of clinical practice. Training as a fellow or resident is considered to be creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Grade Determination- GS-14 Psychologist (Service Chief):
Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meets multiple deadlines. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. References:
VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Physical Requirements:
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
- Department:
0180 Psychology - Salary Range:
$124,571 to $161,939 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
|
|
 | |
