CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST (MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANT)

Conducts biopsychosocial assessments of beneficiaries presenting with mental health concerns in primary care, identifying clinical needs, functional limitations, and appropriate treatment options.

Makes mental health diagnoses using current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, including differential diagnosis when symptoms or conditions overlap.

Provides brief, problem-focused individual treatment using clinically appropriate methods, including cognitive-behavioral interventions and psychoeducation.

Provides group treatment and psychoeducational classes that address common behavioral health concerns and support patients’ understanding of symptoms, treatment, and self-management.

Assesses beneficiaries with acute mental health or behavioral medicine concerns, determines immediate clinical needs, and initiates appropriate treatment, safety, or referral actions.

Consults with primary care providers, nurses, and other team members on behavioral health concerns affecting patient care, treatment planning, and follow-up needs.

Develops and implements treatment recommendations for patients with complex, urgent, or severe mental health conditions within the scope of integrated primary care.

Determines whether patients can be treated locally or require referral to specialty behavioral health, hospitalization, residential treatment, or another level of care.

Maintains clinical documentation, findings, diagnoses, treatment recommendations, and reports, exercising independent professional responsibility for clinical decisions.

Develops and evaluates professional-development and in-service training activities on Primary Care–Mental Health topics; reviews scope of practice and training needs.

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Clinical Psychologist (Mental Health Consultant): Degree: Doctoral Degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) directly related to full professional work in clinical psychology.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes conducting mental health diagnoses; providing individual and group treatment; assessing acute mental health conditions; and coordinating referrals and care as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-12). Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify.

For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.