Summary

The Homeless Programs Psychologist will work in the continuum of Veteran housing services. This position's primary assignment is in the The Housing and Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing Program (HUD/VASH). HUD/VASH is a collaborative effort between HUD and VA to provide permanent supportive housing to the most fragile of homeless Veterans.

Qualifications

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 Requirement - 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 Requirement - 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
• Internship Requirement - 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
• Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above - you must have the following: GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement GS-12 Level: 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 Level: 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
• 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
• *Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS 11 to GS 13
• Preferred Experience: Clinical Services to Homeless Patients - Motivational Interviewing Experience - In-home services Experience - VA Mental Health experience Physical Requirements: Requires ability to access various treatment settings within the facility and in the community - including the homes of Veterans
• Work may be performed inside and outside
• Will require working closely with others
• Hearing (aid permitted) is required
• Ability to use computers throughout the day for data input
• May require an individual to sit for extended periods of time - walk moderate distances - manage light lifting and carrying (under 25 pounds) - climbing stairs as needed - and operation of a motor vehicle
• The incumbent must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf The Veterans in this program are frequently unwilling to engage in treatment for Mental Health - Substance Use Disorder and even general medical treatment
• Often this population requires lengthy effort to engage them in treatment and treatment planning starts from where the Veteran is willing to begin
• Housing assistance is not contingent upon mental health or substance use stability
• Additional duties include: Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions for Veterans in Homeless Programs both in the facility and in the community
• There is an emphasis on clinical work within the Veteran's home
• Performs capacity/competency assessments when there are questions about a patient's ability to make medical decisions - perform other specific functions - or live independently
• Provides behavioral medicine interventions to manage pain - disability - address sleep problems - promote smoking cessation - and enhance medical compliance
• Assesses and provides treatments for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety - adjustment difficulties - excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs
• Provides psychological prevention services to patients at significant risk for psychological problems
• Provides psycho-educational and supportive interventions for the veteran - for spouses - family members/caregivers - and others that are crucial to the Veterans' well-being
• Serves as a general psychologist as part of the Homeless Programs multidisciplinary team
• Promotes communication/interactions between team members - patients - and their families to facilitate the treatment in support of housing stability
• Staff psychologists may be involved in research activities - such as preparing RFP's and grant proposal and/or presenting outcome data and research results at VA and regional or national scientific or professional meeting or peer-reviewed journals May serve on Medical Center or Healthcare System - VISN - and/or National VA committees or task forces - as assigned by the Supervisor - or the Associate Chief of Staff - Mental Health
• May represent psychology on decision-making committees at the Medical Center or Healthcare System - as assigned by the Supervisor - or the Associate Chief of Staff - Mental Health
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program
• You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment
• Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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: AD-HOC telework may be authorized per agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 93824/93825/93826 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized