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 role includes diagnosing mental disorders; conducting psychological or neuropsychological assessments; and treating mental disorders through individual, family, and group psychotherapy using evidence-based treatments. The psychologist performs formal and informal assessments for a range of patient conditions, including mental illness, substance abuse, and general emotional and cognitive functioning, adapting assessment and care to patients’ cognitive, emotional, chronological maturation, and diversity needs.

The position provides therapeutic interventions with an emphasis on evidence-based care, evaluates how assessment results relate to veterans’ everyday functioning and management of health problems, and provides psychoeducation to patients and families to support treatment adherence and relapse prevention. The psychologist coordinates care with the BHIP team and community providers, supports psychology training and education, develops clinical supervision skills, completes clinical documentation promptly, participates in peer review, and may teach at conferences, serve on committees, or supervise unlicensed psychologists and 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 may be filled at GS-11 through GS-13, with GS-13 as the full performance level. It is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and approval; recruitment/relocation incentives and relocation assistance are not authorized.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-, PCSAS-, or CPA-accredited graduate program in a specialty consistent with the assignment; qualifying alternative doctoral education and re-specialization pathways are described in the announcement.
• Successful completion of a qualifying professional psychology internship, subject to the listed exceptions and alternative pathways.
• Full, current, and unrestricted doctoral-level license to practice psychology in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; eligible non-licensed applicants may receive a temporary graduate psychologist appointment under the stated conditions.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• GS-12: At least one year of professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11 and demonstrated knowledge and abilities in psychological treatments or assessment, treatment strategy design and implementation, and incorporation of new clinical procedures; research abilities apply where specified or relevant to the described research duties.
• GS-13: At least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, and demonstrated ability to apply psychological treatments across patient populations, provide professional advice and consultation in psychology and behavioral health, and knowledge of clinical research literature.
• Meet applicable background/security investigation, drug-testing, Selective Service, influenza vaccination, onboarding, identification, and application documentation conditions.

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 and informal assessments of mental illness, substance abuse, emotional functioning, and cognitive functioning.
• Treat mental disorders through individual, family, and group psychotherapy using evidence-based treatments.
• Provide therapeutic interventions in outpatient mental health, emphasizing evidence-based models of care.
• Assess the implications of test results for veterans’ everyday functioning and successful treatment or management of health problems, including behavioral health factors related to quality of life.
• Adapt assessment and care to the cognitive, emotional, chronological maturation, and diversity needs of the person served.
• Provide psychoeducation to patients and family members to support healthcare adherence and relapse prevention.
• Work with the assigned BHIP team to support optimum clinical care.
• Consult and coordinate care with community providers while following HIPAA practices to support psychosocial recovery.
• Support the Psychology Training Program and participate in relevant educational seminars.
• Participate in improving 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 assigned committees or workgroups.
• May provide clinical supervision to unlicensed psychologists or psychology trainees.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), with an award of up to $200,000 subject to program approval, eligibility, and other conditions.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, subject to program conditions.
• Child care subsidy may be available to eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other conditions.
• 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 federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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