Career Center

The Health Behavior Coordinator will train, mentor, and guide primary care and other staff members to support patient self-management of health-related behaviors via effective health behavior coaching and the use of motivational interviewing and other empirically-based communication and health behavior management approaches. 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. 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-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 clinical research literature. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to a full range of patient populations. *Experience is only creditable if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed. Preferred Experience: 2-3 years of experience in Psychology Practice and Behavioral Health. 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. Physical Requirements: Position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. Requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, stiiting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. May be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and my be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasie procedures. May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. ["Incumbent will work closely with the HPDP Program Manager to develop new or adapt existing VHA programs, guide implementation, and coordinate evaluation strategies to determine the efficacy of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Incumbent will serve as co-chair of the facility HPDP Program Committee and will have clinical responsibilities related health promotion interventions such as group and individual smoking cessation and weight management counseling. Incumbent will carry out discipline-specific health psychology assessments (e.g., pre-bariatric surgery psychological assessments). Incumbent will work at the parent facility in Columbia; however, will be required to travel occasionally to the CBOCs and to community events. Plans, develops, adapts, implements and assesses efficacy of health behavior intervention for the promotion of general health and to address health risk behaviors as part of disease prevention and chronic disease management in close collaboration with the Health Promotion/Disease Prevention Manager and others. Contributes to training or primary care team and others in evidence-based methodologies in effectively communicate with, motivate, coach and support patients in being aware of relevant health risks, assisting patients in clarifying personal goals for health promotion and disease prevention programs, and developing individualized patient self-management plans. Works with Primary Care and Nursing leadership to provide specific training, guidance, and mentoring of Primary Care Nurses and others to facilitate effective coaching. Serves as the lead clinician in tobacco use cessation programs. Contributes to behavioral health programs such as MOVE!. Performs specialty health psychology assessment/intervention. Provides supervision of trainees conducting direct clinical care. Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Remains involved in program evaluation and/or research activities. Provides administrative duties such as scheduling of Veterans and related issues, returning Veterans' phone calls, report writing, attending organizational meetings Provides consultation and training to Primary Care and Mental Health Service Line staff in the enhancing, maintaining, and supporting health behavior programs for the promotion of health and prevention of disease and enhance patient self-management of chronic disease (e.g., diabetes, HN, Hepatitis, COPD) to prevent secondary complications and improve long­ term outcomes and enhance quality of life. Develops programs together with other Health Promotion/Disease Prevention, Tobaccos Use Cessation, and Patient Health Education staff members for teaching and/or improving the PCP's core behavioral health skills. Supervises pre-doctoral and post-doctoral Psychology trainees, and may participate in the supervision of trainees in other disciplines, including medical, nursing, pharmacy, and psychiatric trainees assigned to the Primary Care Service for rotations Develops and/or makes available relevant education and training programs. Involved in the development and on-going improvement of the Psychology Training Programs and actively participates in the Psychology Training Committee meetings. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff on issues related to the function of health behavior assessment and interventions to promote health and prevent disease. Will have a primary clinical supervisory role in health behavior coaching and is likely to supervise or co-supervise health coaches. The incumbent will carry out appropriate consultation with disciple specific leaders and will be accountable to the Chief of Primary Care. Supervises clinical care management functions of the members of the health Promotion/Disease Prevention team. Assumes responsibility for team building across a variety of clinical settings Provides leadership and guidance in carrying out program planning, outcome evaluation, and staff development activities Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome and other local data source measurements if/when these become required for the clinical performance and other outcome assessment or best practice guidelines, using a data driven quality assurance process. Responsible for developing and implementing procedures so that the minimum structural and process requirements stipulated for the Health Promotion/Prevention Medicine programs are satisfied Participates in program-wide outcome evaluation studies. Represents Psychology, Primary Care, or Prevention on decision making committees within the Healthcare System. Utilizes a government issued credit care to make purchases for the program. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm (subject to change based on agency needs)\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required\nRelocation incentive: Not approved"]