Staff Psychologist - Primary Care Mental Health Integration

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) — a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval, including award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years), is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after a complete review of the application.

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.

• 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:
  
  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 of graduation
• The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed
• OR a doctoral degree in any area of psychology plus a successfully completed re‑specialization program meeting both of the following conditions: the re‑specialization program must be completed in an APA or CPA accredited doctoral program; and the specialty in which the applicant was retrained is consistent with the assignment
• OR a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internship:
  The applicant must provide a transcript indicating completion of a one‑year supervised internship at an acceptable site. For programs not accredited by APA or CPA, a statement from the doctoral program verifying completion of an equivalent internship is required
• The applicant must have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program accredited by APA or CPA that is consistent with the assignment
• OR a new VHA psychology internship program in the process of APA accreditation is acceptable, provided it was sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time of internship
• OR a VHA facility that offered a full‑time one‑year pre‑doctoral internship prior to PL 96‑151 (pre‑1979) is considered acceptable for fulfilling the internship requirement
• OR applicants who completed an internship not accredited by APA or CPA may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in a specialty area consistent with the assignment
• 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 the internship requirement by completing the equivalent of a one‑year supervised internship at an acceptable site
• If the internship experience is not noted on the official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying completion of an equivalent internship at an acceptable site
• Licensure:
  Candidates 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
• 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 licensed…