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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. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Staff Psychologist within VA Altoona will perform general mental health treatment in a outpatient setting (Community Based Outpatient Centers, CBOC). Major duties include, but not be limited to: * The incumbent provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses of mental disorders, for Veterans referred to or enrolled in the Mental Health Clinic. The Incumbent provides regular coverage for, and performs screening evaluations, team assignments, and initial treatment planning for Veterans referred to or presenting for care. * The Incumbent provides comprehensive, Evidence-Based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy within the Mental Health Clinic and documents direct Veteran care at a minimum of 80% of the time allotted in the clinician's weekly profile. * The incumbent provides consultation to professional staff within Altoona VAMC and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients assigned to various Mental Health related programs. * The Incumbent develops, implements, and documents psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients within the Mental Health Clinic, including prompt completion of clinical reminders. * The incumbent performs measurement-based care instrumentation and screenings regularly and routinely when clinically appropriate to the treatment question. * The incumbent uses scores and/or interpretive data in a manner that is clinically and ethically appropriate and provides feedback to the Veteran as part of this process. * The incumbent works independently with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. * The incumbent provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address causation as well as presenting complaints. The incumbent makes rapid assessments and develops crisis management plans to return Veterans to a state of homeostasis including maintaining Veteran in the home, admission to acute, psychiatric, or short term/long term placements. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, the incumbent follows the Mental Health Service or facility protocols. * The incumbent assists the Supervisory Psychologist on the design, development, and implementation of clinical programs within the Mental Health service. The incumbent adheres to operational policies and procedures established by the medical center and his/her assigned service line. * The incumbent assists the Supervisory Psychologist in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program. * The incumbent complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. * The incumbent complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes) and attends and actively participates in all meetings held by the Facility and Mental Health Leadership teams. * Performs other duties as required. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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 Telework Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 / Staff Psychologist Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized