Psychology Program Manager - Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program

Summary The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for 1 full-time Program Coordinator for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program. This vacancy will be filled by a Social Worker (Program Coordinator), Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Program Coordinator), Addiction Therapist (Licensed Master's) Program Coordinator, or a Psychology Program Manager. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). Responsibilities VA Careers - Psychologist : https : / / youtube.com / embed / 77qHlLw9Xck The incumbent serves as the Program Coordinator for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program (SUD) for the Fargo VA Health Care System within the Mental Health Integrated Care Community (MH ICC) which provides a state-of-the-art continuum of clinical services and education to veterans with complex needs in a large, highly rural catchment area. The SUD Team provides specialized outpatient mental health programming and services for Veterans with Substance Use Disorders (SUD). The incumbent provides leadership, coordination, oversight, and integration to ensure efficient and effective provision of services. Incumbent is responsible for the development and maintenance of policies and procedures and establishing appropriate methods for review and control of these program activities with expertise in ensuring staff safety, attaining and maintaining all measurement goals, and maintaining continuous service throughout the region. The SUD is customer-service oriented, meeting a variety of emotional, psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and social needs of patients with SUD. These specialized and highly professional services contribute significantly to the level of health care provided by this agency. The position exists to provide administrative leadership to plan, develop, implement and oversee clinical services and programs for Veterans that have a high degree of clinical complexity. The incumbent has full supervisory responsibility for all therapists and administrative staff within the SUD. Supervisory responsibilities include performance evaluations, time and leave, and hiring and disciplinary decisions. The SUD Manager may also have assist with training and education to include residents, interns, and practicum students in psychology and social work. The incumbent is also responsible for the adoption of evidence-based treatment for SUD and other related mental health conditions within the SUD and oversees the training and development of EBPs for staff and trainees within the program. The incumbent may also be asked to take on leadership roles within the VISN such as SUD leadership responsibilities. Incumbent is responsible for tracking and implementing actions plans to meet National, VISN, Hospital and MH ICC performance improvement measures. Clinical Responsibilities : Provides a full range of evidence-based therapeutic interventions including : individual therapy, group therapy, and psychodiagnostic evaluations as program needs dictate. Program Coordination : Day-to-day management and operational aspects of the SUD Treatment Program. The incumbent provides leadership, guidance, and coordination of staff following the mission / vision of the Fargo VA Health Care System (Fargo VA HCS) and program direction of the Mental Health ICC. Supervisory Responsibilities : Provides administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the programs providing all orientation and program training to new staff and generally throughout the facility as needed. 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 our 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 review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8 : 00 a.m. - 4 : 30 p.m. 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. 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. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not authorized Requirements 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. 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 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. Education : 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 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 : (a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; (b) 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. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internship : (a) 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 (b) 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 (c) 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 (d) 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 (e) 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 : 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. 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). Grade Determinations : GS-14 Psychology Program Manager Experience. At least three years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-13 grade level, which is defined as : Working knowledge of and applying professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations; Providing professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional; Working knowledge of clinical research literature. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs : 1. Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, and meet multiple deadlines. 2. Knowledge of and ability to utilize evidence based practices and clinical practice guidelines appropriately and ability to guide staff in using these tools. 3. Ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups. 4. Skill in managing and directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. 5. Ability to translate management goals and objectives into well-coordinated and controlled work operations. 6. Ability to establish and monitor production and performance priorities and standards. 7. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and to develop and implement solutions that result in sound operation of the program. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Psychologist program managers have broad program management responsibilities for a specific program or programs that are designed to deliver specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components of the facility and that significantly impact the health care provided to Veterans. Programs include but are not limited to addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mental health intensive case management (MHICM), mental health compensation and pension examination (C&P) programs, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers, inpatient mental health, residential rehabilitation, domiciliary, palliative care, neuropsychology, and internship and postdoctoral fellowship training programs; management of an off- campus site; psychology program oversight and coordination throughout the facility and its affiliated clinics as a psychology executive, typically at lower complexity facilities. Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https : / / www.va.gov / ohrm / QualificationStandards / . The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements : You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Education IMPORTANT : A transcript must be submitted with your application. Note : Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here : http : / / ope.ed.gov / accreditation / . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit : https : / / sites.ed.gov / international / recognition-of-foreign-qualifications / . Additional Information The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. Qualified applications will be referred every two weeks from the opening date of this announcement until the closing date, or until the position is filled, whichever is sooner. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.