Staff Psychologist

Veterans Health Administration • Hopkinsville, KY

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) Psychologist serves as the team’s primary mental health provider, delivering mental health prevention, assessment, treatment, management, and consultation services in Veterans’ homes. The position is dedicated to HBPC, though the psychologist may also provide coverage in other geriatrics and extended-care settings. The role involves considerable travel from the facility to Veterans’ residences and requires use of a government vehicle.

Services include screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of depression, anxiety-related disorders, and other mental health conditions, emphasizing time-limited, evidence-based approaches. The psychologist also addresses subclinical emotional symptoms, adjustment difficulties, and substance use concerns; provides prevention services to Veterans at risk; and supports families and caregivers when doing so contributes to the Veteran’s treatment and ability to remain at home. Additional duties include cognitive screening, capacity assessments, support with informed decision-making and advance directives, grief and loss interventions, family and caregiver support, transition assistance, and behavioral medicine interventions addressing pain, disability, sleep, weight, smoking cessation, and medical adherence.

The schedule is 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; alternate tours may be considered. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Recruitment/relocation incentives and permanent change of station assistance are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and approval. Applicants must submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment; approved awards may be up to $200,000 over one to five years.

The position requires a doctoral degree in psychology meeting the stated accreditation or alternative qualification criteria, completion of an acceptable professional psychology internship or qualifying alternative, and a full, current, unrestricted doctoral-level psychology license, subject to the stated graduate psychologist exception. A current, valid state-issued driver’s license is required. The full performance level is GS-13.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Full, current, unrestricted doctoral-level license to practice psychology in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; an eligible non-licensed applicant may be appointed temporarily as a graduate psychologist under licensed supervision, subject to the stated conditions.
• Doctoral degree in psychology meeting the specified APA, PCSAS, or CPA accreditation requirements, or an applicable qualifying alternative involving re-specialization or a qualifying 1951–1978 doctoral degree.
• Successful completion of an acceptable professional psychology internship, or one of the stated qualifying alternatives.
• Current, valid state-issued driver’s license.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• GS-11: no experience beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-12: at least one year of professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11, plus the specified knowledge and abilities in psychological assessment and treatment, treatment strategy design, clinical procedures, and (where applicable) research activities.
• GS-13 full performance level: at least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, plus knowledge and ability to apply treatments across patient populations, provide professional advice and consultation, and understand clinical research literature.
• Must meet pre-employment conditions, including applicable background/security investigation, drug screening for testing-designated positions, physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated evaluation and certification conditions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary mental health provider on the HBPC team, providing prevention, assessment, treatment, management, and consultation services in Veterans’ homes.
• Screen, assess, diagnose, and treat depression, anxiety-related disorders, and other mental health conditions using time-limited, evidence-based approaches.
• Assess and treat subclinical dysphoria and anxiety, adjustment difficulties, and excessive use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs.
• Provide psychological prevention services to Veterans at significant risk for psychological problems.
• Provide services to families of Veterans with neurocognitive disorders when related to the Veteran’s treatment plan and ability to remain at home.
• Screen for cognitive deficits to answer functional questions or determine whether more extensive cognitive assessment or neuropsychological evaluation is needed.
• Assess capacity when questions arise about a Veteran’s ability to make medical decisions, perform specific functions, or live independently.
• Assess Veterans’ understanding of advance directives and consent, and help staff present treatment options and other material in an understandable format.
• Provide individual and group interventions for Veterans coping with grief, loss, disability, and life transitions.
• Provide psychoeducational and supportive interventions for spouses, family members, caregivers, and others who help keep the Veteran at home.
• Provide appropriate couple or family interventions to address relationship difficulties, support caregivers, and promote collaboration with the HBPC team.
• Facilitate adjustment to new living situations, such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities, and provide transition services as appropriate.
• Provide behavioral medicine interventions to manage pain and disability, address sleep problems, facilitate weight loss, promote smoking cessation, and enhance medical compliance.
• Travel to Veterans’ homes using a government vehicle; provide possible coverage in other geriatrics and extended-care settings.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with an award of up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, subject to program terms.
• Child care subsidy may be available to eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and program limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and 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: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree