Psychologist (PCMHI)

Summary

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 applicatio

Duties

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The psychologist serves as a Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) provider in the Integrated Care Program, which falls within the VA Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS) Mental Health Service. The incumbent will function as a psychologist within the Primary Care clinic, with an emphasis on integration of mental health services within Primary Care. It is expected that the incumbent will successfully coordinate service delivery with Primary Care staff and other Mental Health Providers as appropriate.

The primary job functions of psychologists at the GS-13 level include the provision of direct psychological patient care, consultation services on difficult or complex cases, education of staff and participation in Psychology Training Program(s), including training committee activities, providing didactics, and supervision of practicum students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows, with protected time established by OAA and the VANCHCS Supervision Manual.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services appropriate to the primary care setting, especially in the areas of general psychological evaluation of emotional and behavioral problems and focused cognitive screening.
• Provides a full range of psychological interventions consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions found to be effective in primary care settings.
• Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the primary care setting and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues.
• Provides consultation services for primary care providers to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health-promoting behaviors, with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care.
• Supports primary care provider (PCP) decision-making, building on PCP interventions and improving PCP-patient working relationships.
• Provides clinical care management when appropriate directly to an assigned cohort of patients.
• Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues to include patient's decision-making capacity regarding health care.
• Completes all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and may be posted up to September 30, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be February 22, 2024, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st and 15th of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. 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 existing pay, 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)
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: Telework, if approved, would be on a regularly scheduled basis, but this is not a virtual or remote position.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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