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. Learn more 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. *HPTs who are on track to graduate/complete the requirements should respond as if they have met the requirements. Provide details in the narrative section of the assessment. Basic Requirements: a. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. b. 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 (4) 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. c. 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. (1) 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. (2) Loss of Credential. A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. 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). d. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education (i.e., degree and internship requirements) and licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. NOTE: If psychologists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. f. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. g. 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. Grade Determinations in Education Section Below: Preferred Experience: Experience within a VA setting; Experience with evidence-based psychotherapies; Experience incorporating measurement-based care into treatment; Experience working in a fast paced and complex clinical setting, either outpatient or residential services; Experience working with SMI populations; and Experience in substance use disorder. References: VA Handbook 5005/103 Part II, Appendix G18 dated February 7, 2018 Physical Requirements in Education Section Below: ["Major Duties as Assigned, but not limited to: Graduate Psychologists: Graduate psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological screening assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group psychotherapies and other interventions such as behavioral health and crisis interventions. Graduate psychologists consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Staff graduate psychologists may be involved in program evaluation, teaching, training, and research activities. The staff graduate psychologist applies advanced professional psychological diagnostic methods and evidence-based intervention strategies to a full range of patient problems in his/her work setting. S/he has advanced knowledge of psychological diagnosis, intervention, and behavioral health as it impacts and is impacted by health related conditions and serious mental illnesses that qualifies him/her to provide advice and consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines. The primary job functions of graduate psychologists at this level include the provision of direct psychological patient care to veterans in an inpatient residential mental health setting. However, some graduate psychologists functioning at this level also are associated with a university faculty appointment, are assigned program coordination responsibilities, and collateral administrative/managerial duties. The graduate psychologist for whom this functional statement applies is assigned to the Serious Mental Illness Residential Program within the Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine Service at the Waco VA SMI Residential Unit. In addition to providing direct patient care, this graduate psychologist does not have assigned collateral research obligations or supervisory responsibilities. Staff Psychologist:\nThe staff psychologist holds a state license to practice psychology and has at least one year pre-doctoral work experience and two years post-doctoral work experience as a psychologist in the VHA or a comparable professional setting. The staff psychologist is assigned to the Waco VA SMILE Residential program 100% of the time. The staff psychologist's primary duties involve initial biopsychosocial assessment, treatment planning, case management, group therapy, individual therapy and psychological treatment to Veterans with a wide range of co-occurring disorders, including but not limited to serious mental illness, anxiety, PTSD, depression, substance use, and personality disorders. The psychologist applies advanced professional psychological diagnostic methods and evidence-based intervention strategies to a full range of patient programs in his/her work setting. S/he has advanced knowledge of psychological diagnosis, intervention, and behavioral health that qualifies him/her to provide advice and consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines. The primary job functions of psychologists at this level include the provision of direct psychological patient care, consultation services on difficult or complex cases education of staff, trainee supervision and case management. However, some psychologists functioning at this level also have research obligations, are associated with a university faculty appointment, are assigned program coordination responsibilities of collateral administrative managerial duties and collateral duties as assigned. Graduate Psychologist and Staff Psychologist: Participates as a member of a multi-disciplinary clinical team providing a full range of psychological services. Provide individual psychotherapy to Veterans with complete seriously mentally ill problems, especially in regards to adaptation and rehabilitation. Administers/scores or evaluates psycho diagnostic tests, including neuropsychological 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 medical center for the Seriously Mentally Ill. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g. entering diagnostic and procedure codes.) Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychology interns. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm OR 8:00 am - 4:30 pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: Graduate Psychologist/PD00000; Clinical Psychologist/PD00000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact VISN17EDRP2@VA.GOV the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]