Psychologist - Blind Rehabilitation Center

SummaryThis position is for a Medical Rehabilitation Staff Psychologist in the Blind Rehabilitation Center at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Responsibilities involve assessment, intervention and professional consultation services to the residential blind rehabilitation center. The Psychologist will provide a full range of psychological services and will emphasize evidence-based and best practice approaches. The psychologist will function as a full member of the rehabilitation team.ResponsibilitiesThe Psychologist has knowledge and skill in a full range of psychological services to include psychological assessment, diagnostic, and evidence based treatment services. The Psychologist has familiarity with the full range of DSM5 clinical presentations and experience with associated brief, evidence based psychological intervention for a variety of psychiatric presentations. The Psychologist has specialized knowledge and skill with treating patients within medical settings including consultation with interdisciplinary medical team members and specialized medical rehabilitation psychology assessment and intervention skills. The Psychologist has experience with or ability to gain knowledge about psychological conditions that are unique to those with limited vision or blindness. The Psychologist has knowledge of thorough risk assessment and mental health crises procedures. The Psychologist has skill in providing cognitive screening to address specific functional and/or cognitive ability questions. Experience in providing consultation about mental health diagnosis and appropriate treatment plans to professionals representing a variety of disciplines, particularly concerning medically complex patients. Understands the underlying medical conditions and medical terminology used in medical rehabilitation setting. Understands the professional role provided by a Medical Rehabilitation Psychologist working within a medical rehabilitation setting. Ability to provide education to patients, family members of patients, professional staff and trainees. In addition, will be able to engage families of patients in empirically supported treatment for caregiver burden. Knowledge of most current clinical assessment and psychotherapy research literature as it pertains to areas of specialization and clinical privileges. Knowledge of cultural and individual diversity issues as they may apply to patients with chronic medical conditions. Ability to communicate with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and with varying levels of understanding. Ability to demonstrate excellent customer service skills toward both patients and co-workers. Demonstrated ability to function successfully as a member of a multidisciplinary team of medical and mental health providers. May have secondary duties to provide psychological services in other care setting as needed, and other duties as assigned. If not yet licensed, practice is under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 08:00am - 04:30pmFinancial Disclosure Report: Not requiredRequirementsConditions of EmploymentQualificationsApplicants 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. BASIC REQUIREMENTS:CITIZENSHIP: Must be a United States Citizen. 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. ENGLISH: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English. EDUCATION: Must 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). (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Must 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;andb) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.NOTE: Must provide transcripts and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) AND Internship: Must 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. NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification. LICENSURE: Applicants must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. (PROVIDE COPY) 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 (a)(1)(D) 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 Grade Determinations:GS-11: Entry Level - None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level.In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. GS-13: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations, including designing and implementing effective treatment strategies. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, a wide range of psychological assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of clinical research literature References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G18. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13.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: 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Additional InformationThis job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.