Physician Assistant - Supervisory Mental Health

Physician Assistant - Supervisory Mental Health

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Aurora, Colorado

Salary Range: $103632 - $191899 Per Year

Job Summary: This is a supervisory position within the Psychiatry Section and functions as the primary supervisor for assigned medical staff prescribers (psychiatrists, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants). Supervises the prescribers working on Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) teams, Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) teams, and outpatient interventional psychiatry teams as applicable.

Major Duties:

• Start, continue, or finish your career here | VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Clinical Responsibilities (50% of time): Provide medical care and evaluation for psychiatry outpatients in outpatient clinics. These patients often have concomitant medical problems and are multi-symptomatic. The PA shall perform the following duties: Conduct initial psychiatric evaluations, including initial assessment interviews, history, and physical exams; lab, imaging, medication and psychotherapy consultation orders, aftercare plans and follow up visits. Following the initial evaluation, the PA will provide appropriate follow up care including reassessments of diagnoses and conditions, medication adjustments, and any further tests or consults indicated. Provide mental health education /counseling and brief therapy of patients and their families. Conduct ongoing follow up appointments for stable patients, including regular refills of medications, required lab and other tests and documenting progress. Perform examinations and screening scales (such as AIMS, MoCA, HAM-D) and similar noninvasive examinations specific to the ongoing care of psychiatric patients. Order appropriate laboratory tests, imaging studies, EKGs (electrocardiograms), and similar noninvasive tests. Initiate and expedite consultation requests and scheduling of special tests and studies. Hold scheduled appointments for outpatients to observe and record patients' medical progress, and notify the supervising physician of significant changes in patients' condition. Provide education and counseling of the patient and the patient's family in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and medications. Perform preventive health activities. Order appropriate prosthetic devices and medical equipment. Record notes on all procedures performed for which the PA is responsible. Recommend ECT, rTMS, or esketamine if appropriate. Perform rTMS and esketamine. Case management. Perform treatment planning in an outpatient setting. Integrate the activities of the psychiatry clinic with other patient care programs at the facility. Evaluate outside consultations presenting to the mental health clinic and determine the appropriate disposition, routing, and urgency of those consults. Administrative Responsibilities (50% of time): General supervisory duties of assigned staff, to include ePerformance reviews, maintaining eCompetency folders, monitoring required trainings as TMS supervisor, addressing FMLA/RA requests as indicated Coordinates coverage and leave planning among direct reports and between sections as applicable with appropriate input from team leads. Addressing leave requests and timecards in VATAS/GovTA. Tracking educational leave for each staff member reporting to them in real time. Routine clinic cancellation LEAFs first approval Callouts/Unplanned Sick Leave LEAFs clinical review Monitors individual labor mapping, grid management, scheduled clinic utilization, bookability, productivity/RVU targets, and other critical metrics for direct reports, with periodic updates reflecting adjustments to maximize patient access Addresses change of provider requests and open encounter follow up of assigned staff Participates in leadership meetings, serves on committees and/or workgroups as assigned Responds to customer service concerns (PATS-R), patient safety reports (JPSR), and associated required reporting as assigned Engages in quality improvement across the service as assigned, aligning efforts to strategic goals and clinical quarterly metrics (SAIL, etc) Encourages and fosters team and recovery-oriented care for Veterans using individual and group rounding Highlights areas within their team applicable to All Employee Survey goals and submits contributions as assigned Responsively tracks and manages ongoing professional practice evaluations biannually for assigned staff Administers all service level actions in recruitment and onboarding process for medical staff vacancies in their service area. Coordinates with Team Leads on orientation of new medical staff Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): This position is eligible for 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 your start date. 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. Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov for questions/assistance. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Qualifications: 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. Physician Assistant Basic Requirements Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~ Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~ Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Grade Determinations: Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to:The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to: Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care. Ability to perform patient history and physical. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession. Physician Assistant-II (PA-II)Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by: Two years of successful practice as a PA. Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency. A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-II: Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively. Physician Assistant-III (PA-III)Experience and Education. PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi disciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by: Three years of successful practice as a PA. Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA. A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III: Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE). Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records. Preferred Experience: Prior VA leadership/supervisory experience preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, and sitting. The position requires the ability to cover clinical nursing services and meet physical demands found in the patient care environment. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations. able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment Initiates Basic Life Support (BLS) in accordance with current BLS standards to include automatic defibrillation in life-threatening situations.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/09/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12842719. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. 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.

Application Deadline: 2025-12-09