Staff Psychologist (Centralized Eligibility & Appeals Team)

Summary

The psychologist serves as a key member of the Caregiver Support Program (CSP) within the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT). The CSP is one of the fastest-growing service areas in the Veterans Health Administration, driven by infrastructure modernization, innovative program development, and the expansion of services under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers as authorized by the MISSION Act.

Duties

VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include, but not limited to: Reviews dispositions of PCAFC initial eligibility decisions, reassessments, and appeal decisions for clinical eligibility determinations within the timeframes indicated in the final rule, applying a psychological perspective to each evaluation. Analyzes mental health data obtained from the VHA electronic health record and collateral sources to determine PCAFC clinical eligibility and documents all findings using approved CSP PCAFC templated notes. Works collaboratively with inter-professional team members at Regional, VISN, and facility levels to ensure PCAFC eligibility determinations are delivered objectively, with strong and consistent inter-rater agreement, and that outcomes are documented and communicated in a clear, coordinated manner. Utilizes knowledge of PCAFC clinical eligibility to coordinate with other regional CEATs on the transfer of appeals for inter-VISN evaluation. Applies comprehensive expertise in administering, scoring, and interpreting a broad range of psychological and psychometric assessments (e.g., attention/concentration, memory, executive functioning, intelligence, reasoning, and judgment) to support CEAT case disposition and team recommendations. Conducts peer reviews from a psychological standpoint, which may occur at the regional level, to support national consistency in determinations. Collaborates with and contributes expertise to a community of practice across VISNs and regions, working closely with CSP CSCs and CEAT members. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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: Position may be eligible for ad-hoc Telework, at managers discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Education: Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program 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. OR, Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and successfully completed a re-specialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA- or CPA-accredited doctoral program; and b) The specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment for which you are applying. OR, Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed; OR, New VHA psychology internship programs in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable if sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time 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 acceptable; OR, Applicants who completed an internship not accredited by APA or CPA may be eligible only if currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty consistent with the assignment. (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee must maintain board certification.)NOTE: Applicants with a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill the internship requirement by completing the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site acceptable to their doctoral program. If not noted on the official transcript, a statement from the doctoral program verifying completion is required. 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met: Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full Performance, Level) Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate the all of the following (KSAs): - Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. - Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. - Knowledge of clinical research literature. Preferred Experience: Experience with the Caregiver Support Program or Home Based Primary Care, and experience with Web Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture Remote Access Management (WebVRAM) and the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS). 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-13. Physical Requirements: Potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, and sitting. Must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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. Other Information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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.