Summary

The incumbent serves as Clinical Psychologist for the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Programs of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) within the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (PTSD-RRTP). The PTSD-RRTP is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, residential treatment program directed toward assisting Veterans with histories of PTSD and comorbid conditions.

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Duties

Clinical Responsibilities: 2. At the GS 12 level, the following clinical activities are expected in the assignment: 3. At the GS 13 level, the following clinical activities are expected in the assignment for Staff Psychologist:
• At the GS 11 level, the following clinical activities are expected in the assignment:
• Ability to diagnoses mental and substance use disorders, conduct psychological and/or neuropsychological assessments.
• Ability to treat mental and substance use disorders through a variety of... modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders.
• Practice is under the close supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist.
• Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care.
• Performs evaluations for veterans, civilians, and active duty service members.
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including, but not limited to, evidence-based brief individual outpatient approaches.
• If unlicensed, the individual must be supervised by a licensed clinical psychologist and the experience and supervision must meet the standards for psychology licensure.
• Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing efficient high quality care.
• Performs evaluations for veterans, beneficiary civilians, and active duty service members.
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including, but not limited to, evidence-based brief individual outpatient approaches.
• Consults with FHCC staff and community medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues.
• Staff Psychologists may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities.
• Although an independently licensed professional, all care provided remains under the approving authority of the Psychologist Executive.

Academic/Training/Teaching:
• Holds faculty appointment at an affiliated university.
• Provides clinical supervision to various professional disciplines and levels of training, including psychiatric residents, psychology interns, psychology practicum students, medical students, physician assistant students, neuropsychiatric technicians, health technicians, fellows, nurses, and nursing assistants.
• Involved in Psychology Training Program and Training Committee.
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned.
• Is involved in the training of psychiatric residents, psychology interns, psychology practicum students, medical students, physician assistant students, neuropsychiatric technicians, health technicians, fellows, nurses, nursing assistants, and other graduate or post-graduate trainees, as appropriate.
• Serves as consultant to other FHCC staff and trainees in their assigned unit and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients.
Research/Program Evaluation:
• Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using data-driven quality assurance processes.
• Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the FHCC, VISN 12, and accrediting bodies as appropriate.
• If applicable, plans and oversees the completion of personal research programs designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches that are evidence-based.
• Present outcome data and research results at the FHCC and/or regional and/or national scientific professional meetings.- Assists in preparation of RFPs and grant proposal, as assigned.
Other Significant Responsibilities:
• Serves on FHCC, VISN, and/or National VA/DOD committees or task forces.
• Represents Psychology on decision-making committees at the FHCC.
• Actively Participates in leadership roles on local, State, and national professional organizations.
• Represents the FHCC at professional/program community group/events and committees, in conferences/meetings with higher-ranking managers, supervisors, and staff from other disciplines or work units, and/or with representatives of local public interest groups, congressional district offices, and employees of State and local governments.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800-1630

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment
• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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:
• 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-Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education- You must 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. OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a 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 you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND
• Internship - You must 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).

NOTE: 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- Candidates must 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.
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).

Grade Determinations:
• GS-11: None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-12: At least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level. AND Are able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
• 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: At least 2 addition years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. AND To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice:
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a 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.

Preferred Experience: Experience in treatment of PTSD

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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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Captain James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center

3001 Green Bay Road

North Chicago, IL 60064

US
North Chicago IL USA

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