Clinical Psychologist - Defense Health Agency Civilian Corps, Falls Church, VA

Clinical Psychologist Joint Base San Antonio

Time to invest in some new footwear because if you’re San Antonio-bound, you’d better show up in boots! The Alamo City is one of the military’s most envied postings and is often referred to as “Military City USA”. Low cost of living, affordable homes, and the lack of state tax on retirement income are a few financial perks to living and retiring in this Texas city. A robust job market that seems partial to government and defense/security contracting ensures employment opportunities for spouses or transitioning service members. San Antonio is the country’s seventh fastest growing city yet has somehow managed to retain a “small town feel.” Quality schools and friendly locals (most with military ties) are additional  perks to living in San Antonio.

Some things you should know before you get here: trucks are the norm (the bigger, the better), love for The Spurs (NBA) runs deep, the H-E-B obsession is real (it’s a grocery store), rodeos are life, and don’t call it “San Antone”—that’s just wrong. The community boasts a vibrant Hispanic population, and enhances everything from the food, to the music, to community events. You don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish to get around, but you’d better know how to say barbacoa, tamales, and cascarones. Name brand shopping (IKEA is the latest arrival of note), restaurants, and all variety of entertainment all add to San Antonio’s quality of life. SeaWorld, the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and downtown museums are all fun outings for kids and families. Tube or kayak down a river, play or fish in the lakes, or relax by San Antonio’s famous downtown River Walk. Museums, art galleries, and historical landmarks—remember The Alamo?—round out San Antonio’s cultural offerings. Tex-mex cuisine arguably originated here, and some up and coming culinary trendsetters are making a name for themselves in the Pearl District downtown, alongside several notable breweries.

San Antonio has over 300 days of sunshine with some hot summers, mild winters and pleasant spring and fall seasons. San Antonio is in Bexar County (it’s pronounced “BEAR”) in south central Texas, and is just south of the gorgeous Hill Country. It’s only about two hours from Austin, the beach, or the desert.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

The incumbent works as an independent professional under the administrative supervision of Behavioral Health carrying out independent duties in accordance with (IAW) generally accepted psychological theories, methods, techniques, and practices. Assignments are received in broad terms with the expectation of autonomous implementation. The incumbent maintains full professional responsibility and individual accountability for professional decisions and actions. Incumbent’s findings, conclusions and recommendations are accepted as being professionally sound by colleagues and organization superiors.

Incumbent serves as Psychologist for the Clinic. Makes mental health diagnoses as appropriate in accordance with DSM-IV-TR criteria, or other, more current, accepted standards. Provides individual and group therapy, using various modalities as clinically indicated to include brief problem-focused psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and client-centered therapy. Assesses acute mental health conditions in beneficiaries who present with such issues. Maintains appropriate documentation of patient care in accordance with current unit and hospital SOPs; current DoD, Army, Federal and state regulations; and professional ethics. Maintains performance and conduct in accordance with current unit and hospital SOPs; current DoD, DA, Federal and state regulations; and professional ethics.

Assesses and provides crisis intervention for individuals and families. Other intervention skills may include capacity to perform stress management, relaxation training, assertive/social skills training, smoking cessation training, substance abuse identification and brief related interventions appropriate for primary care-based practice, weight reduction training, and brief interventions for mastery of anxiety, depression, post traumatic symptoms and post deployment stress symptoms. Participates in related quality assurance activities. Provides individual, couple, family, and/or group psychological counseling utilizing a variety of treatment modalities to child, adolescent, and/or adult patients. Provides psychological and clinical consultation to other professionals and paraprofessionals through established consultation channels. Personal contacts include, but are not limited to, contacts with other professional within the fields of counseling, psychology, social work, psychiatry, medicine, nursing, education and Army unit leaders. These contacts are for the purpose of gathering relevant data and providing consultation in order to facilitate the accurate assessment and treatment of referred patients.

MAJOR DUTIES

A. CLINICAL ASSESSMENT:

Screens and interviews patients, and performs bio-psychological social evaluations, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to psychological counseling; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Monitors and evaluates completeness of patient intake. Selects, approves, and documents treatment priorities through a treatment plan. Reviews level of care for appropriateness. Evaluates and approves referral sources. Prepares and delivers briefings and presentations. Conducts meetings, conferences, etc. Establishes cooperative agreements among various treatment providers. Monitors, evaluates, and approves use of community resources. Provides reports and approves consults

B. THERAPY, CASE STAFFING, AND TREATMENT:

Conducts therapy, monitors, approves, and documents all treatment planning, and provides advice for case staffing, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to psychological counseling; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Reviews and approves the appropriate modality of each patient. Develops treatment processes and procedures for orientation of patients. Evaluates information/education processes. Evaluates overall effectiveness of therapeutic efforts. Institutes changes to increase effectiveness of therapeutic efforts. Evaluates appropriateness of treatment plans and goals. Develops treatment plans for the most severe cases. Provides structure and procedures for organization of case staffing information. Approves diagnoses. Establishes policies for case staffing. Uses objective behavioral outcome measures to evaluate progress in treatment. Participates with other professional staff in providing emergency mental health services on a scheduled, rotating, on-call basis to patients during normal duty hours to include screening patients for appropriateness of psychiatric hospitalizations. Coordinates with a variety of agencies to assist with the multidisciplinary treatment of patients. These contacts may include, but are not limited to social work, nursing, community counseling centers, the exceptional family member program, command and legal or other community agencies. Will interact with military commanders and be able to provide extensive knowledge of soldiering and the deployment cycle.

C. ADMINISTRATION:

Executes performance initiatives (PI) through revision of clinical standards and procedures; performs special actions and a variety of program administrative duties; and performs a wide variety of quality management/quality assurance (QM/QA) duties to meet Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requirements, using expert knowledge of the general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to psychological counseling; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Evaluates clinical records and monitors all test administration and scoring for quality assurance. Evaluates environment of care. Monitors all risk management issues and takes appropriate action. Establishes and executes performance initiatives. Establishes and monitors objective behavioral outcome measures. Develops and revises professional service plans. Evaluates and revises standard operating procedures. Develops, approves, and executes the professional business plan. Conducts program evaluation. Consults with ancillary care providers. Substantiates the results of crisis intervention. Reviews data provided in reports of special actions. Directs budget priorities; directs manpower surveys; and briefs reports to the command and higher headquarters. Reviews statistical data to modify program goals. Evaluate and approve educational packets.

D. TESTING:

Oversees and interprets appropriate tests, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to clinical psychology; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze patient assessments; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Monitors, maintains, and secures test instrument inventory. Approves selection of various tests. Interprets various complex tests. Provides consultation regarding testing and interpreting issues. Evaluates test results for release. Evaluates diagnostic summaries.

E. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:

Develops, implements, and evaluates professional development activities, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to clinical psychology; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Coordinates inter-departmental in-service training. Evaluates scope of practice and modifies, as required. Evaluates training opportunities. Evaluates orientation activities. Attends American Psychology Association or the National Association of Social Workers approved continuing education training. Adheres to the applicable Code of Ethics. Evaluates professional development activities.

PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

Basic Requirements:

US Citizenship required

Incumbent may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and varying work schedules.

Incumbent must pass a required Pre-Appointment Physical.

Required to provide proof of US citizenship.

Must be able to obtain & maintain Basic Life Saving (BLS).

If selected, official college or university transcript must be submitted.

Must be a credential member of the Military Training Facility (MTF).

License/Certification: Unrestricted license as a doctoral level Psychologist. Must have a valid state license.

This is an Inclement Weather Essential position: Incumbent is expected to make every attempt to report for duty on time and/or remain on duty during severe weather conditions.

This position requires occasional TDY - 5%.