Psychologist Program Manager Vocational Rehabilitation

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. 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.

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.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English
• Education: Must possess one of the following: 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 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: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• 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
• (NOTE: Once board certified - the employee is required to maintain board certification.) 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 candidates doctoral program
• If the internship experience is not noted on the applicants official transcript - the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program
• Licensure: You 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 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 the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed
• Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment
• 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)
• 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 (Above the Full Performance Level) Experience: At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level
• AND - Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• 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: Experience providing clinical or administrative leadership within Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) programs - including components such as Transitional Work (TW) - Supported Employment (SE) - Community-Based Employment Services (CBES) - Supported Education (SEd) - or Supported Self-Employment (SSE)
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-14
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
  
  

• VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: Serves as the Program Manager and Supervisor for the Vocational Rehabilitation Program - providing administrative and clinical oversight of professional Vocational Rehab Service staff and directing program operations in accordance with VHA Directive 1163
• Oversees multiple program components and locations - ensuring coordinated delivery of employment and vocational rehabilitation services across the medical center
• Develops local policies and procedures based on national guidance
• leads program planning - implementation - evaluation - and continuous quality improvement efforts
• Supervises staff - including conducting hiring - interviewing - onboarding - performance evaluations - workload planning - leave approval - and disciplinary actions as appropriate
• Provides clinical and administrative guidance to staff - identifies training and development needs - and oversees peer review and continuing education processes
• Conducts program evaluations using qualitative and quantitative methods
• develops strategic and long-range plans
• and implements process improvements based on data and accreditation requirements
• Manages program resources - including budgeting - forecasting - and oversight of CWT accounts - TW payroll - and fund control points
• exercises authority to allocate and distribute program funds
• Represents Vocational Rehabilitation programs in facility - VISN - national - and community meetings
• maintains effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Provides direct clinical services - including individual - couples - family - and group therapy - psychoeducation - case management - and recovery-oriented interventions
• Delivers rehabilitation services using evidence-based and evidence-informed practices to support Veterans with significant functional - psychological - and vocational barriers in achieving competitive employment - educational - and independent living goals
• Provides services across all components of VHA Vocational Rehabilitation and Compensated Work Therapy programs - including Transitional Work - Supported Employment - Community-Based Employment Services - Supported Education - and Supported Self-Employment
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact visn15edrp@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 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] 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: As determined by the agency policy (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized