Psychology Program Manager

Company: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location: Waco
Posted on: June 10, 2021

Job Description:

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Duties

Summary

This position serves as the Program Manager for four (4) recovery-based outpatient programs in Central Texas Veterans Health Care System. In this capacity, the incumbent functions as the Recovery Program Manager of the following programs: Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) Program, Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATP), and PTSD Clinical Team (PCT).

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Responsibilities

Interdisciplinary Position: This recruitment is also being considered to be filled by the following vacancy announcements: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Vacancy # 11125675);Marriage & Family Therapist (Vacancy # 11125677); Supervisory Social Worker (Vacancy # 11125679); Physician (Vacancy # 11125680) and Nurse Practitioner (Vacancy # 11125681).

Major Duties as Assigned, but not limited to: In addition, the incumbent serves as Team Lead for the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) program. The Recovery Program Manager is responsible for the clinical and administrative operations of the various recovery-based outpatient programs within the Outpatient Mental Health Service at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System. These critical programs provide a wide array of services to veterans in need of specialty care in a less restrictive setting.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center: The Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) is an outpatient transitional learning center designed to support recovery and integration into meaningful self-determined community roles for Veterans challenged with serious mental illness and severe functional impairment. Programming is curriculum-based and is specifically designed to teach the requisite skills that are necessary for defining and realizing Veteran's self-chosen roles and goals in all domains of health and life. PRRC services are part of the mental health continuum of care and are coordinated with other services in the VAMC and in the community.

The PRRC offers specialty mental health care to veterans with serious mental illness, with a higher level of frequency of services than traditional outpatient mental health and serving veterans with higher acuity needs. All Veterans served in PRRCs will define and pursue a self- determined personal mission and vision for their lives and have access to support, education, and effective treatment that fosters improvements in all domains of their lives. These Veterans will develop the skills necessary to set and achieve self-determined goals that result in meaningful roles in the community. They will have consistent access to recovery-oriented interventions and natural community-based supports--essentials for living, working, learning, and contributing fully in the community. PRRC staff incorporate and practice using the core principles of psychosocial rehabilitation in all interactions, interventions, and program development.

Mental Health Intensive Case Management: The Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program (MHICM) is a community-based case management program designed to reduce psychiatric hospitalizations and improve quality of life with a focus on rehabilitation. The services are offered to veterans who meet the following criteria: diagnosis of serious and persistent mental illness, severe functional impairment, inadequately served by traditional outpatient treatment, have high psychiatric hospitalization utilization, and are appropriate for outpatient status (i.e., not in need of inpatient treatment presently). MHICM services are delivered by an integrated, interdisciplinary team and are based upon the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) standards for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). The program is characterized by four unique factors including frequent contacts between veterans and caregivers, flexibility, and community orientation, focus on rehabilitation, and responsibility for continuity of care. Substance Abuse Treatment Program: The outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP) assist Veterans in recovery from addictions to alcohol and drugs. Many Veterans enrolled in SATP also struggle with homelessness, unemployment, other mental illnesses, medical, and legal problems. The primary treatment modalities of SATP are evidence-based group treatment and education focusing on early recovery and relapse prevention skills.

PTSD Clinical Team: The PCT is an outpatient clinic that provides treatment to Veterans who have been diagnosed with combat-related PTSD and evidence significant impairment in functional areas. Psychotherapy services are evidenced-based and delivered in both individual and group format.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status

Yes

Promotion Potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0180 Psychology

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• Requirements

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.).
• Education.
• Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology). OR,
• Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a respecialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the respecialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:
• The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and,
• the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.

• NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards. OR,

• Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.

• Internships.
• Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR,
• New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern; OR,
• VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR,
• Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (NOTE: 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 this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site

acceptable to the doctoral program.

• NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard.

• Licensure. Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• 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.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Preferred Experience:

• Five years clinical experience working with one year in a Mental Health Leadership role preferred.
• Knowledge and experience with performance measure and accreditation standards such as CARF, Joint Commission, APA.
• Experience in delegating work, managing multiple deadlines with organization and accountability standards.
• Experience in managing workload, interdisciplinary teams and diverse staff members to accomplish program goals and objectives.

Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also demonstrate the experience and the Knowledge, Skills, and Ability as described below:

• Psychology Program Manager, GS-14
• Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one (1) year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools.
• Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups representing widely divergent backgrounds, interests, and points of view.
• Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.
• Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations.
• Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards.
• Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103, PART II, APPENDIX G18, PSYCHOLOGIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD, GS-0180, DTD February 7, 2018.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-14.

QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED ON "Additional Information Tab"

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: If your school was accredited by American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the website listed above, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Accreditation Information: The doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. Verification of accreditation may be made obtained from APA-Accredited Programs (https://accreditation.apa.org/accredited-programs); PCSAS - Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System

(https://www.pcsas.org/#:~:text=The%20Psychological%20Clinical%20Science%20Accreditation%20System%20(PCSAS)%20is,extends%20the%20science%20base%20for%20mental%20health%20care.)

Keywords: Department of Veterans Affairs, Waco , Psychology Program Manager, Other , Waco, Texas