Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program Psychologist

Veterans Health Administration • Colorado Springs, CO

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The psychologist serves as a therapist on a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team in an outpatient mental health setting. The position involves diagnosing mental disorders; conducting psychological or neuropsychological assessments; and treating mental disorders through individual, family, and group psychotherapy, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based treatments. Assessments address a range of patient conditions and diagnoses, including mental illness, substance abuse, and general emotional and cognitive functioning, while taking account of patients’ cognitive, emotional, developmental, and diversity needs. The psychologist considers how assessment results relate to veterans’ everyday functioning and treatment or management of health problems, particularly behavioral health factors connected with quality of life.

The role includes providing psychoeducation to patients and family members to support healthcare adherence and relapse prevention; coordinating care with the BHIP team and community providers; and supporting psychosocial recovery while following HIPAA practices. The psychologist also supports psychology training activities, develops clinical supervision skills with an emphasis on evidence-based practice, completes clinical documentation on time, and participates in peer review. The psychologist may teach at education and training conferences, serve on committees or workgroups, and supervise unlicensed psychologists or psychology trainees.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available. The position is a permanent federal appointment, with selection at GS-11 through GS-13 and a full performance level of GS-13. It is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to individual eligibility and program approval; awards may be up to $200,000 over one to five years. Recruitment or relocation incentives and permanent change of station assistance are not authorized.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in psychology from a qualifying APA-, PCSAS-, or CPA-accredited program, or an eligible alternative degree and respecialization pathway; school psychology degrees do not qualify for VHA appointment.
• Successful completion of a qualifying professional psychology internship, or an allowed alternative described in the posting.
• Full, current, unrestricted doctoral-level psychology license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; eligible non-licensed applicants may receive a temporary appointment under the stated conditions.
• For GS-12: at least one year of professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11, plus the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-13: at least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, plus the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Ability to apply psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations and design effective treatment strategies.
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.
• For GS-13, ability to provide professional advice and consultation related to professional psychology and behavioral health, and knowledge of clinical research literature.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Successful completion of applicable background/security investigation, pre-employment requirements, and online onboarding.
• For applicable selected applicants, completion of pre-appointment urinalysis; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must complete a one- or two-year trial period and receive written certification for continued employment after the trial period.
• Must submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment to be considered for the program; individual eligibility and program approval apply.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with adults in a mental health setting.
• Experience providing psychotherapy or therapy in an outpatient mental health setting.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose mental disorders.
• Conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments and formal or informal assessments of patient conditions, including mental illness, substance abuse, and emotional and cognitive functioning.
• Treat mental disorders through individual, family, and group psychotherapy using evidence-based treatments.
• Provide therapeutic interventions in the outpatient mental health setting, emphasizing evidence-based models of care.
• Consider patients’ cognitive, emotional, developmental, and diversity needs in assessment and care.
• Assess the implications of test results for veterans’ everyday functioning and successful treatment or management of health problems.
• Provide psychoeducation to patients and family members to support healthcare adherence and relapse prevention.
• Work with the assigned BHIP team to support optimal clinical care.
• Consult and coordinate care with community providers, following HIPAA practices, to support psychosocial recovery.
• Support Psychology Training Program activities and participate in relevant educational seminars.
• Develop clinical supervision skills, with emphasis on evidence-based practice models.
• Complete clinical charting and documentation in a timely manner.
• Participate in psychology peer review.
• May serve as faculty at local or system-wide education and training conferences.
• Serve on committees or workgroups as assigned.
• May clinically supervise unlicensed psychologists or psychology trainees.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, of up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many programs may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree