Psychologist - Vet Center RCS
Location: Hooksett New Hampshire
Description: Department of Veterans Affairs is at present recruited Psychologist - Vet Center RCS right now, this vacancy will be placed in New Hampshire. Further informations about this vacancy opportunity please read the description below. Vacancy Identification Number (VIN)
906536
OUR MISSION:
To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have! borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the Nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities. For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to
http://www.vacareers.va.gov/
How would you like to become a part of a team providing
compassionate care to Veterans?
Patient Centered Care is our ap! proach to delivering
healthcare to our Veterans. This phil! osophy gives patients and their families
the chance to work closely with their healthcare providers to create more
personalized care plans. Patient-centered care also considers the Veteran's
personal preferenceces and values, family situations, cultural traditions, and
lifestyles; it keeps them informed and engaged throughout their treatment. The
Veteran and family members become key members of the healthcare team and are
active participants in making healthcare decisions.
Note:
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidateÂ's education and experience and recommend the grade and step at which the candidate will be placed. The salary is based on the grade and step approved for the selected candidate.
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.
Relocation Expenses:
Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
Must pass pre-employment examination
Must be proficient in written and spoken English
Designated and-or Random Drug Testing required
Background and-or Security Investigation required
Must possess a valid driver's license.
DUTIES:
Duties:
The goal of this program is to establish and
maintain an outreach program to assist those eligible veterans (WWII, Korean
War, Vietnam era, Lebanon, Grenada, and Panama conflicts, Persian Gulf War,
OEF/OIF and other wars or conflicts), who have failed to make adequate
psychosocial adjustment and re-entry into civilian life. Additional
responsibilities include Bereaveme! nt Counseling and Sexual Trauma Counseling.
The incumbent is recogn! ized as highly knowledgeable and skilled in the
treatment of combat veterans and plays a key role in the total mental health
program. The incumbent conducts interviews and counseling with clients and
provides psychosocial assessment and readjustment counseling to clients.
Readjustment counseling interventions include crisis intervention and both
short and long-term services.
This position provides readjustment counseling services to
sexually traumatized women veterans of all eras and their significant others
with highly complex and diversified psychological and/or sociological problems
that require reaching independent conclusions when consequences to the client
are serious and the results are relatively unpredictable, e.g., dealing with
debilitating depression, debilitating anxiety, impulse control, delayed or
chronic post traumatic stress disorder, and clinical and sub-clinical problems
affecting social or vocationa! l adjustment. Such problems resulted from physical
assault or battery of a sexual nature or from sexual harassment which occurred
while serving on active military duty.
Provides direct therapeutic treatment and services to
sexually traumatized women veterans and their significant others as follows:
•Conducts outreach activities in coordination with the
Manchester Vet Center Team Leader and staff, and applicable VAMC/OPC womens
veterans coordinators and other VAMC/OPC services affecting women veterans, to
apprise women veterans of availability of counseling for sexual trauma
sustained while on military duty and availability of any other VA services
specifically for women veterans. Seeks out abused women veterans, ascertains
their need for services, and informs them of RCS Women Veterans Program.
•Works in divers and unusual settings, interacting with a
broad range of individuals from various social econoic ! classes and racial
ethnic backgrounds and the special population of! women veterans, most of whom
will be experiencing some degree of psychosocial adjustment problems and/or
environmental alienation toward counseling/treatment settings which require
independent conclusions in handling highly complex cases.
•Interviews sexually traumatized women veterans and their
significant others. Interviews are sometimes conducted in non-office settings,
such as clients home or other locales, to include non traditional settings.
Outreach and counseling in these field settings present the incumbent with
significant lack of normal controls.
•Establishes helping relationships with these women veterans
and their significant others.
•Independently conducts intake and needs assessment of
sexually traumatized women veterans and their significant others. identifies
symptoms leading to clinical diagnoses of disorders, including arranging for
medical screening.
•Develops comprehens! ive treatment plans for
adjustment/readjustment.
•Provides therapy and clinical counseling to clients who may
present routine psychological and social problems typically exemplified by, but
not limited to, recent re-traumatization, intrusive thoughts, conflicted
interpersonal relationships, low self esteem, and other stress related
difficulties, or to those exhibiting serious psychosocial and psychiatric
disorders.
•Provides counseling therapy of short term or long term for
individuals, groups, families, and significant others. A sizable number of
cases involve treatment of post traumatic stress disorder, sometimes combined
with other psychiatric diagnoses.
•Provides individual and conjoint (spouses, family members,
cohabitants, peers) therapy which requires a high degree of professional
expertise. Provides intensive group counseling, to include rape group
counseling to sexually tramatized women v! eterans and their significant others.
•Provides substance abu! se therapy counseling and referral
for sexually traumatized veterans, as appropriate.
•Serves as a case manager for sexually traumatized women
veterans and their significant others, and provides case consultation and
assistance to the specialists or technicians on highly complex cases. Certifies
eligibility of sexually tramatized women veterans for fee/contracts programs
and serves as case manager for clients referred.
•Provides crisis intervention, stabilization, and follow up
to sexually traumatized women veterans and their significant others. Counseling
in crisis intervention requires a high degree of independent judgment,
responding quickly to needs of a client and manifesting innovative and
carefully controlled psychological assistance in an emergency situation.
•Handles acute psychiatric emergencies including those
referred from psychiatrists, physicians, psychologists, emergency rooms, and
soci! al workers in the community.
•Provides follow-up evaluations of clients to determine
whether women veterans have received all appropriate services and provides
services/referrals, as required. Provides follow up services in accordance with
program and professional guidelines.
Keeps abreast of current, state-of-the-art procedures,
processes, and approaches in counseling sexually traumatized women.
Provides instruction in the assessment and counseling of
sexually traumatized women veterans to VA Medical Centers and private sector
mental health professionals. provides consultation and training to
community service agencies, e.g., police, social service agencies, etc.
Provides psychosocial counseling therapy to psychological
cases referred from VA Medical Center inpatient wards, mental hygiene clinics,
Day Hospital treatment facilities, alcohol and drug treatment programs, and
other treatment services.! May maintain collaborative contact with the referring
professional! .
Engages in a variety of community outreach activities that
will promote the use of services of the RCS Women Veterans Program. The general
public, community groups, and professionals who have contact with sexually
traumatized veterans will be informed about the unique nature of these clients.
These outreach activities will be independently planned and coordinated, and
will include such items as public speaking, professional presentations,
information booths, liaison and community and governmental agencies, radio and
TV shows, and newspaper interviews. Specific tasks as follows:
•Presents educational programs about sexually traumatized
women veterans, the VA, and the Women Veterans Program.
•Participated in programs and meetings conducted or
sponsored by the RCS Women Veterans Program.
•Conducts outreach activities with women veterans, community
and service organizations, business and ind! ustry, professionals and the
public. Assists tema Leader in planning, organizing, and conducting
outreach activities.
•Develops and maintains appropriate referral resources and
engages in outreach networking activities to professionals and agencies,
including the VA medical Center, and other referral resources with VA.
•Performs administrative tasks assigned by Manchester Team
Leader. Participates in program planning and development, makes recommendations
in policy and procedures relating to the RCS Women Veterans Program.
•Maintains case records in accordance with program guidelines
and professional requirements. Prepares and maintains administrative records
and reports in accordance with program guidelines. Participates in VA supported
research activities. Implements legal and ethical standards of service
delivery, privacy, and confidentiality. Participates in administrative, staff,
clinical and in-! service education relating to sexually traumatized women
veterans. ! Maintains general knowledge of veteran rights, benefits, and
programs.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30
pm. Occasional nights and weekends may be required.
Functional Statement Title: Psychologist-Clinician
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses and/or incentives
have not been authorized.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
U.S. citizenship. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Have a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from a graduate program in Psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that has been accredited by the APA.
Be licensed to practice psychology at the doctorate level.
English language proficiency - Psychologists must ! be proficient in spoken and written English..
Preferred Experience:
Experience with Women Veterans and Military Sexual Trauma counseling.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
GRADE DETERMINATIONS:
See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18. It is anticipated that the full performance level for this position will be GS-13, but will be dependent upon review of the Professional Standards Board.
GS-11:
Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
Assignment: Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological and/or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. They practice under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist.
GS-12:
Expe! rience: In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-11 level, a! t least 1 year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level. Individuals assigned as GS-12 psychologists may be in the process of obtaining licensure at the independent practice level. If unlicensed, the individual must be supervised by a licensed psychologist and the experience and supervision must meet the standards for psychology licensure.
Assignment: At the GS-12 level, unlicensed psychologists practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, but with less need for consultation than at the GS-11 grade level. They may be assigned to any program area.
GS-13:
Licensure: Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (e.g., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia.
Experience: In addition to the experience requirements at the GS-12 level, at least 1 year of experi! ence as a psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Assignment: This is the full performance level for staff psychologists. At this level psychologists are licensed at the doctoral level to practice independently in the provision of psychological services consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. They are assigned to any VHA program and setting, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitative medicine, geriatrics, Vet Centers, and the VHA National Center for Organizational Development.
Staff Psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological and/or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group psychotherapies, and other interventions such as biofeedbak, psychological hypnosis, and environment ! interventions. They consult with medical center staff on a wide variety! of patient care issues. Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation and/or research studies.
References:
http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf
PLEASE NOTE:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:
http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcrip! t in order to receive credit for that education.
Physical Requirements:
No special physical exertion is required. The work is primarily performed while sitting though some work may require periods of standing, or may be accomplished in non-traditional settings such as shelters, soup kitchens, etc. The regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk, conferences, meetings, etc., and periodic visits to sites where outreach to veterans may be conducted. Use of an automobile or other public conveyance may be required.
Veterans' Preference:
When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) and/or documentation related to your active duty service which shows dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation.
Additionally, disabled vetera! ns and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothe! rs of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. For more information, please review the information for disabled Veterans in the application
checklist
or visit
http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx
.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
BENEFITS:
Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, thrift savings plan, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. In addition to traditional "dollars and cents" benefits, we offer a range of benefits to help balance work and life. For more! information please visit us at
http://www.va.gov/JOBS/Job_Benefits/benefits.asp
.
OTHER INFORMATION:
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
- .
If you were eligible to this vacancy, please email us your resume, with salary requirements and a resume to Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you interested on this vacancy just click on the Apply button, you will be redirected to the official website
This vacancy starts available on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:46:56 GMT