Career Center

The Psychiatrist serves as the Service Chief for the Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program. The incumbent functions in an active role ensuring the RRTP is operated in compliance with VA directives and guidance, as well as standards of Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, Mental Health, and Residential Treatment standards for BH Care. In addition to programmatic management, the incumbent is responsible for a clinical caseload in the RRTP. 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. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR[(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR(3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospital, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. ["As the Service Chief for the RRTP at the MTVAHCS, the incumbent is expected to operate the RRTP in compliance with all handbooks, policies, and regulation. S/he also needs to create a recovery environment where Veterans can recover from PTSD and substance use. S/he is expected to create and foster a therapeutic community. Therapeutic communities enhance the provision of residential rehabilitation and treatment services. RRTP therapeutic communities utilize both peer and professional support services in a structured, residential environment that fosters personal growth leading to personal accountability. The therapeutic community emphasizes the integration of a resident within the community and views the community as the model for change. This mutual self-help model requires residents to actively participate in their own treatment and the treatment of others using the community as the model. Duties include, but are not limited to-\n- Maintaining an 85% bed occupancy rate in the RRTP.- Adherence to designated policies and procedures.\n- Completing all mandated reporting, monitoring, evaluation, and accreditation requirements relevant to the RRTP.\n- Establishing procedures for the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of all program activities.\n- Ensuring the collaboration and integration of treatment and rehabilitation services with mental health, primary care, and other specialty services.- Developing partnerships with community providers to facilitate outreach and discharge planning.\n- Reporting significant and adverse events and program changes, including changes in mission, number of beds, or number of staff to the DACOS for MH, ACOS for MH, COS, or Director, within 24 hours of any incident\n- Carrying out Equal Employment Opportunity policies and program activities. The incumbent also carries out other duties as assigned by DACOS of Mental Health.\n- Has direct administrative supervision of RRTP staff that may include but are not limited to: Psychologists, Social Workers, Addiction Therapists, Peer Support, and administrative staff\n- Ensuring continued progress in development and competency.\n- The incumbent manages all clinical and administrative operations of the RRTP to ensure the safe, efficient, and effective provision of rehabilitation and treatment services.\n- Considers all factors in assessing applicants for admission into the RRTP.\n-Provides psychiatric services to residents of the RRTP.\n- Performs evaluations, psychiatric medication management, and other services within scope as needed for Veterans with a variety of mental health and substance use disorders.\n- Provides supervision of trainees within his/her discipline conducting direct clinical care.\n- Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center as appropriate and may present outcome data as appropriate.\n- Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues\n- Remains involved in program evaluation. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 M-F\nRecruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.\nPay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory\nCME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement\nMalpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided\nContract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting\nEDRP Authorized: Contact therese.collette@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nThis 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. 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. Learn more"]