Staff Psychologist - Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Staff Psychologists are assigned to any VHA program and setting, including inpatient, residential, or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation 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, couples, family, and group psychotherapies, and other interventions such as environmental and behavioral interventions. Duties may include, but are not limited to: This position is the staff psychologist at the ASPIRE Center RRTP (https://www.va.gov/san-diego-health-care/programs/resources/aspire-center-fact-sheet/). Primary responsibilities include providing individual and group psychotherapy to ASPIRE residents, collaborating with the rest of the ASPIRE team, and playing a key role in designing and implementing psychotherapy and other psychological serivces at ASPIRE. Provides psychodiagnostic assessment to diagnose mental disorders, perform risk assessment and crisis intervention, administer psychological and/or neuropsychological assessment, and provide a full range of evidence-based psychological interventions consistent with the psychologist's competencies and needs of the MHCL, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for assigned patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders and other required documentation. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, Impact Unit, and MHCL, established by the VASDHS, the Associate Chief of Staff of the Mental Health Care Line, and the Chief of the Psychology Service. Collaborate with Section Chiefs, team coordinator, and/or MHCL leadership to identify key operational questions. Create and execute plan to address operational questions by collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation, proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes), and return to clinic orders. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Impact Unit, Psychology Service, Mental Health Care Line, and the facility. Provides consultation on empirically validated treatments as requested. Consults with psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, internists and other physicians, mental health pharmacists, as well as psychology staff and fellows. Provides workshops and seminars on empirically-validated psychological treatments and other areas of expertise, open to professionals in psychiatry, social work, nursing, internal medicine, other medical specialties, and pharmacy. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0700-1700 (tour is flexible between timeframe) Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.