Staff Psychologist (Trauma Recovery Program/PTSD/Substance Use Disorder-SUD)

Summary

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

Duties

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West Palm Beach is looking for a Staff Psychologist who will work within Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service and duties include working with and clinically supporting the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center Trauma Recovery Program.

Additional duties include but not limited to:

• Provide a full range of psychodiagnostic services including psychological assessment services and diagnoses of mental disorders, working with complex patients seen in the Trauma Recovery Program and Substance Abuse Program.
• Provide quality direct patient care that will include cognitive screening assessments, treatment planning, individual psychotherapy/assessment sessions, individual and group therapy sessions.
• Provide education to patients, family members, and significant others related to psychological conditions and their impact, with particular focus on PTSD and cooccurring substance use disorders.
• Provide comprehensive, Evidence Based Psychotherapeutic Interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy for patients seen in the Trauma Recovery and Substance Abuse programs.
• Provide consultation to professional staff within West Palm Beach VAMC and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for the patients in his/her care and in the Trauma Recovery and Substance Abuse programs.
• Develop, implement, and document the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders.
• Refer to other disciplines for treatment outside purview and expertise of a professional psychologist.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Recruitment /Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidates upon review and approval by management, available funding, and in accordance with agency policy.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [redacted], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).

Telework: Ad hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # 41680F (GS-13), 41683F (GS-12), 41678F (GS-11)

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• 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 dentification 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.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States 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 VA policy.
• 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.
• 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; OR,
  • Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization 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; OR,
  • Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primar