Senior Psychologist

Duties
The incumbent is ultimately responsible for overall MHCL clinical and administrative operations currently structured around a hybrid Care Line Model that is veteran-centric and recovery-oriented. The MHCL is an interdisciplinary service and its hybrid organizational structure aligns with distinct roles and responsibilities for the ACOS MHCL, Deputy ACOSs for the MHCL, service chiefs and discipline leads (psychiatry and psychology chiefs, associate nurse executive for mental health, and mental health social work program coordinator), and section chiefs overseeing 8 functionally distinct sections across the continuum of care from inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health care to primary care mental health integration and other mental health services embedded in non-mental health settings. Responsibilities include system operations of inpatient acute care, emergency/crisis care, residential care, outpatient clinics, community-based programs, patient/customer satisfaction, staff satisfaction, and successful attainment of VASDHS, VISN and VHA performance measures, and efficient and effective service delivery and resource management.
Major duties include, but are not limited to:
Direct all activities of the Mental Health Care Line to include budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning, clinical end administrative program development, management and evaluation of services and programs, and ensuring that the clinical and administrative functions are integrated in order to provide optimal mental health care to veteran in the context of appropriate utilization of resources.Establish MHS objectives congruent with and reflective of the philosophy and objectives of VA, VHA, VISN, and VASDHS.Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate complex integrated mental health programs.Provide oversight of the comprehensive inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health care for Veteran's diagnosed with acute and chronic mental health and/or substance use disorders.Provide direct and indirect oversight to the educational and research missions of the MHCL.Collaborate with senior management officials and service chiefs to negotiate, persuade, decide on, and coordinate work related changes affecting the operations of the MHCL.Represent VASDHS on issues within his/her purview at meetings, conferences, community events, etc.Plan and direct the administrative and technical aspects of personnel management, coordinating such functions through subordinate managers.Utilize sound management practices, using knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations, supporting the partnership process with employee unions by actively seeking opportunities to develop productive labor relations, and is guided by ethical standards of his or her profession.Accountable for all applicable VA performance measures and responsible for quality improvement activities within mental health, using data tools for collection and analysis.Collaborate with senior management officials including the Chief of Organizational Improvement and Quality Management to ensure compliance with applicable performance measures and practice standards.Shares responsibility with the Chief of Staff for monitoring Patient Safety and Risk Management issues in Mental Health.Responsible for a multi-million dollar budget, including staffing of about 600 FTEE, equipment, leases, non-VA care services, contract funds, etc.Identify need for and recommend major equipment acquisition and replacement with consideration being given to timeliness of acquisition and cost effectiveness of new equipment.Work with Human Resource Management Service in the employment of Title 5, Title 38, and Hybrid Title 38 staff.Provide direct services to patients and their families utilizing a comprehensive range of techniques, skills, and resources.Work with subordinates to ensure optimal utilization of training resources, if appropriate, and high quality training is provided within the outpatient MHCL units.Oversee the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements within programs assigned using a data-driven quality assurance processes.Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, PSTTelework: Not AvailableVirtual: This is not a virtual position.Functional Statement #: 000000Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized to a highly qualified candidatePermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements Conditions of EmploymentYou 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.Must pass pre-employment physical examination.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. QualificationsBasic Requirements:
United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.Licensure. Applicants 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.Basic 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.Internship.(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.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:GS-15: Experience: At least four years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 level.Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

Ability to supervise and manage a large group of professional staff effectively.Skill in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with supervisors from other units.Ability to accurately apply the qualification standards, assesses the potential of current and prospective employees, and promotes their professional development.Ability to develop appropriate productivity standards for professional staff, often across multiple program lines.Knowledge of the goals and objectives of the medical center and VISN and ability to communicate these to subordinates.Preferred Experience: Three years supervisory experience in a Mental Health or healthcare setting.Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-15.Physical Requirements: Most work is performed in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts and the work is generally sedentary. The position will require some physical effort such as sitting, standing, walking, bending, typing, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, books, or reports that do not require special physical demands.
EducationIMPORTANT: 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: . 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: .
Additional informationReceiving 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.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
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.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. Help

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Review our benefitsEligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
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