Physician Assistant

Summary

The Physician Assistant - Inpatient Mental Health Program Manager is a leadership position responsible for overseeing the clinical and administrative operations of the inpatient mental health unit at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center. Key responsibilities include coordinating with the interdisciplinary treatment team (ITT) to develop and implement standard operating procedures and comprehensive inpatient mental health treatment plans for Veterans.

Duties

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Duties for this position include, but are not limited to:

• Oversees the Acute Mental Health Inpatient unit, a major program at GVSM VAMC, delivering specialized, complex, and highly professional care that significantly impacts Veterans' healthcare.
• Provides direct clinical services to veterans with mental health care needs.
• Manages key clinical, training, and administrative programs with full responsibility for day-to-day activities.
• Performs strategic planning and resource allocation to ensure high-quality services for Veterans.
• Ensures well-coordinated, high-quality post-discharge care for high-risk Veterans.
• Supervises direct reports, including psychiatrists, physician assistant, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional mental health counselors, addiction
• therapists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and/or peer support specialists.
• Conducts performance evaluations, approve time and leave, monitor fund control points, and oversee daily operations, including budgetary oversight. Implement cost-saving measures without impairing operational effectiveness.
• Develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements.
• Request backfills or new positions as needed.
• Ensures compliance with local and system-wide program policy manuals and directives.
• Develops and implement programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, VHA policy, and accreditation requirements.
• Monitors outcomes using data-driven processes and implement improvement strategies based on data analysis.
• Ensures professional management of administrative accreditation responsibilities, including for the Joint Commission.
• Monitors and report to the Office of the ACOS regarding the status of Mental Health Performance Measures, overseeing corrective actions as needed.
• Prepares special reports, Congressional responses, briefing papers, issue briefs, and decision papers for Medical Center leadership.
• Serves as a high-level liaison with local, state, and national officials, community groups, and affiliate institutions as needed. Represent the Mental Health Service at meetings and educational conferences.
• Coordinates, leads, and assigns responsibilities to program staff in clinical team meetings, huddles, and monthly meetings.
• Uses advanced clinical judgment to independently provide evidence-based treatment to Veterans with acute or chronic mental illness including use of psychotropic medications, psychotherapy, and other modalities.
• Provides patient and family education on medical/MH conditions, preventive measures, and prescribed treatments.
• Demonstrates leadership and engages in collaboration with other MH and specialty care professionals while involving Veterans and their families (as appropriate), in treatment plan development.
• Assesses and adjusts the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Counsels and treats patients with substance use disorders, including prescription of medication assisted therapies for opioid and alcohol use (including buprenorphine) and detoxication management.
• Orders and interprets labs, tests, and diagnostic studies.
• Initiates referrals and consults to specialty services.
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of-Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Telework: Not Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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.

Physician Assistant Basic Requirements

• Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~
• Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~
• Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.

Exceptions for Graduate PAs.

(a) PAs who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed, pending licensure, as a graduate PA on a temporary full-time appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B).

(b) Graduate PAs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.

(c) Temporary graduate PA appointments may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0603 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (9/27/2020) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates:

Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)

(a) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to:

i. Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care

ii. Ability to perform patient history and physical.

iii. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient.

iv. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession.

Physician Assistant-II (PA-II)

(a) Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by:

i. Two years of successful practice as a PA.

OR

ii. Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency.

OR

iii. A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-II:

i. Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems.

ii. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions.

iii. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care.

iv. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care.

v. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively.

Physician Assistant-III (PA-III)

(a) Experience and Education. PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi-disciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by:

i. Three years of successful practice as a PA.

OR

ii. Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA.

OR

iii. A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III:

i. Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care.

ii. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE).

iii. Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials.

iv. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel.

v. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes.

vi. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is PA-III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA-I to PA-III.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working inpatient Mental Health and familiar with inpatient mental health policies/procedures.
• Experience evaluating and treating acute mental health crises, including active suicidal behavior and psychosis.
• Experience prescribing medication-assisted treatments for substance use disorders, including buprenorphine and medications for detoxification.
• Experience managing a mental health program or care unit.

Physical Requirements:

• Light lifting, under 15 pounds.
• See/read computer screen
• Hearing (aid permitted)
• Speech (aid permitted)

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

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.

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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility 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.

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