Psychology Program Manager - Health Behavior Coordinator
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Application
Details
Posted: 16-Oct-24
Location: Spokane, Washington, Washington
Salary: Open
Categories:
Psychology
Internal Number: 813977000
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. Program 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. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.) Education. 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. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR 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 (or will complete) as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: Must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program, and, the specialty in which the applicant is retained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) AND Internships. 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. OR 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. 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. 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 supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED) Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be 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. The board certificate must be current, and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education. 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). Grade Determinations: Psychology Program Manager, GS-14. Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. Preferred Experience: Federal supervisory experience. Experience with veterans. Experience with Primary Care Mental Health Integration. Experience with teaching Motivational Interviewing. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements: light lifting (under 15 lbs), use of fingers, ability to see computer screen, hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental factors include working closely with others and working alone. ["Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf Scope of Assigned Duties Program Management Broad responsibility for the coordination and management of all behavioral medicine services offered. Directs, supervises, and holds ultimate responsibility for all clinical and administrative operations of the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program, Neuropsychology Service, Gero-Psychology services, and Pain Psychology services. Plans, directs, executes, and monitors all activities carried out by the Behavioral Medicine (BMed) Service. Responsible for all areas of performance of the BMed Service programs, both in terms of meeting VHA national and local performance targets and also in maintaining compliance with all applicable administrative and clinical policies, regulations, standards, and guidelines. Coordinates and manages the work of 9.0 professional staff assigned to the facility's BMed Service programs. Clinical Responsibilities Serves as the lead clinical consultant to the medical center staff on health behavior coaching, TEACH, motivational interviewing, and patient self-management; supporting the integration of health behavior change elements into clinical programming. Develops and implements health behavior assessments and interventions for the promotion of general health and to address health risk behaviors as part of disease prevention and chronic disease management. Provides health behavior assessment and intervention with patients with multiple co-morbidities and or chronic disease, special needs, and complex clinical problems, and to perform specialized health psychology assessments. Supports and contributes to existing smoking and tobacco use cessation clinical initiatives in primary care and smoking cessation specialty programs or clinics, evaluates the need for possible expansion of services, and supports the lead clinician in tobacco use cessation program. Enriching Elements/Academic/Teaching/Training Provides consultation and training to Primary Care and Mental Health Service Line staff in the enhancing, maintaining, and supporting health behavior program for the promotion of health and prevention of disease and enhance patient self-management of chronic disease to prevent secondary complications and improve long-term outcomes and enhance quality of life. Utilizes educational programs developed by national program offices for teaching and/or improving the clinical staff members core behavioral health skills. Develops and/or makes available relevant education and training programs for all Primary Care and other Service Line providers to ensure that culturally competent care is provided. Other Significant Responsibilities Assumes responsibility for team-development across a variety of clinical settings and in particular, patient centered medical home teams. Provides consultation and guidance in carrying out program planning, outcome evaluation, and staff development activities. Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome and other local data source measurements if/when these become required for the clinical performance and other outcome assessment or best practice guidelines, using a data-driven quality assurance process. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@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 higher or unique qualifications and/or special needs of the VA. 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 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: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.