Details
Posted: 04-May-22
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 652229100
The Active Management of Pain (AMP) Psychologist position will support a new initiative to provide a coordinated approach to multimodal chronic pain management through close, interprofessional collaboration with a Physical Therapist. Clinical care will be provided through a combination of virtual/telehealth and in-person services as part of an interprofessional specialty pain care team in the Biopsychosocial Model of Pain Care and VA Stepped Care Model for Pain Management. 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education Requirement - You must 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. OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a respecialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the respecialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and b) the specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship Requirement - You must 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). NOTE: 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. Licensure: Candidates must 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. Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (c)(2)(B) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. 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). Grade Determinations: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement GS-12 Level: at least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level, and are able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities: Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration. GS-13 Level: at least 2 addition years of experience, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level, as a professional psychologist that was obtained through employment as a psychologist or through participating in a supervised post-doctoral psychology training program that demonstrates 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current psychology practice: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a full range of patient populations. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of clinical research literature. Preferred Experience: Experience providing specialized References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: Light lifting, light carrying, use of fingers, hearing (aid permitted), operation of a motor vehicle may be required. ["The Active Management of Pain (AMP) Psychologist position reports to the Assistant Chief of Psychology. Primary duties are to provide pain services as an integrated part of the Pain Clinic and in support of the Pain Management Team. Clinical care will be provided through a combination of virtual/telehealth and in-person services as part of an interprofessional specialty pain care team in the Biopsychosocial Model of Pain Care and VA Stepped Care Model for Pain Management. The incumbent, along with the AMP Physical Therapist, is responsible for the provision of AMP group-based pain care. In addition, the person will serve as a subject matter expert in the content specialty area of behavioral pain medicine/rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain, and as a consultant to other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area of chronic pain. Other than AMP implementation, pain-specific duties will include pre-procedural evaluations, use of other EBPs to treat chronic pain, and participation in the psychology practicum student, intern and postdoctoral resident training programs (i.e., teaching seminars, offering a specialty rotation, and supervising practicum students, interns and postdoctoral fellows).\nMajor duties and responsibilities include; but are not limited to: Spends at least 50% of clinical time providing AMP groups in VA Facility through virtual/telehealth modalities (e.g., VVC) or in-person. Provides comprehensive, evidence-based behavioral interventions for pain (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain), including individual and group therapy. Demonstrates an understanding of the biopsychosocial approach to pain care, and need to work in an integrated, collaborative, team-based fashion with other pain specialists. Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental health disorders based on patient presentation and need; refers to other mental health providers and specialists in facility as indicated. Provides pain-focused education to patients, family members, and significant others. Demonstrates expertise in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment plans for adult patients with complex pain problems. Coordinate and employ a multimodal treatment approach to accomplish complex treatment objectives. Demonstrates expertise in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment plans for adult patients with complex pain problems. Functions independently as a member of the Facility Medical Staff, with full clinical privileges; assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Utilizes evaluation data to plan and implement comprehensive patient treatment, involving patient in the goals setting and treatment processes as feasible. Modifies treatment plan according to evaluative findings to meet short- and long-term goals. Exercises the highest degree of independence and professional judgment in planning and carrying out treatment plans to meet complex objectives for the chronic pain population. Participates in program development activities related to AMP, including data collection/management, policy development/adherence, and documentation. Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings, as well as pain committee meetings, as indicated by Pain Clinic leadership, as well as section and service leadership. The Pain Psychologist does pre-procedural evaluations for Spinal Cord Stimulators and Ketamine Infusions. Additionally, they participate in intakes for the Pain Clinic and perform biofeedback and psychotherapy to treat Veterans living with chronic pain. Diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological assessm.ents, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.\nCompressed/Flexible: Not approved.\nTelework: Approved for up to 2 days a week.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]