Psychologist

The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) is a consolidated health care system that includes VA Medical Centers in Montgomery and Tuskegee Alabama as well as Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) in: Dothan Alabama, Ft. Rucker Alabama, Monroeville Alabama, Montgomery Alabama and Columbus Georgia. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the basic requirements and any additional requirements identified in the vacancy announcement. Applicants who are completing required training or licensure may be referred and tentatively selected but cannot be appointed until all requirements have been satisfied. Basic Requirements United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may be appointed only when it is not possible to recruit qualified U.S. citizens in accordance with VA policy. Education: Applicants must possess a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in psychology from a graduate program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or another acceptable accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Graduates of foreign psychology programs must provide documentation demonstrating equivalency to U.S. educational standards. Internship: Completion of a one-year, full-time APA-accredited internship in professional psychology is required. Internships accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) or other internships that meet VA qualification standards may also be acceptable. Licensure: Applicants must possess a current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice psychology independently in a state, territory, commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. §§ 7402(d) and 7407(d). Preferred Qualifications Preference may be given to applicants who demonstrate one or more of the following: Experience providing evidence-based psychological assessment and treatment. Experience working in interdisciplinary healthcare teams. Experience serving Veterans or other complex adult populations. Competency in suicide risk assessment, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed care. Experience with psychological testing and diagnostic evaluations. Experience in outpatient, inpatient, primary care mental health integration (PCMHI), rehabilitation, forensic, or integrated behavioral health settings, as applicable to the position. Board certification through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) is preferred but not required. Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Provides screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, as well as other Axis I conditions, with an emphasis on the application of evidence-based psychotherapy approaches proven effective for the condition of focus and the population assigned. Performs psychological assessment and interpretation of results to inform treatment planning, as appropriate to the needs of the mental health program assigned. Provides screening for cognitive deficits to address specific functional questions or to determine if a referral for a complete neuropsychological evaluation or dementia assessment is needed. Participates fully in peer review, assessing the quality of professional psychology standards provided in the organization. Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multidisciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals. Assures that appropriate referrals to specialty programs, including community resources, are accomplished. Promotes patient independence and achievement of optimal health through appropriate psychosocial education and community referrals. Participates fully in educational development through staff and section meetings. Providing and, where appropriate, referring patients, families and significant others for counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention. Assumes responsibility for professional development by attending relevant training and regularly reviewing the literature to improve clinical competencies. Conditions of Employment Conditions for Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointment when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy. 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. Applications who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/24/1959. 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-state-issued identification 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). Education Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, 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 to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/