Staff Psychologist (Suicide Prevention Coordinator)

Staff Psychologist (Suicide Prevention Coordinator)

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Livermore, California

Salary Range: $177304 - $228000 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Major Duties:

• The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) serves the needs of Veterans and ensures that all appropriate measures are being taken to prevent suicide in our patient population. SPC(s) facilitate the implementation of suicide prevention strategies at a local facility level, which involves all sites in our Health Care System. Responsibilities include providing support for the identification of Veterans at high risk, including placement, management and deactivation of high-risk flags (HRF); coordinating welfare checks in the community; certain types of clinical care (e.g. completion of standardized suicide screens and evaluations); and providing education to primary care providers, Veterans, family members, and members of the local community on risk factors and warning signs for suicidal behaviors and treatment options. Major Duties include but not limited to: The SPC (Suicide Prevention Coordinator) is responsible for tracking and reporting all suicide attempts and completions at their facility. The SPC exclusively controls the Category I Patient Record Flag as it relates to suicide and limits its use to patients who meet the criteria of being placed on the facility high-risk list. The SPC is responsible for maintaining a facility "high-risk" list which identifies patients who have been deemed at-risk for suicide, per their consultation with clinicians and patients who have a Category I Patient Record Flag on their chart. This list is to be reviewed at least every 90 days. The SPC is responsible for continued contact and monitoring with Veterans that have been identified as high-risk for suicide to assure continued care and treatment. The SPC documents, when appropriate, the nature of follow-up and plans for continuing treatment in the electronic medical record. The SPC ensures that patients identified as being at high-risk for suicide receive follow-up for any missed mental health and substance abuse appointments in conjunction with the clinical treatment team, and that this follow-up is documented in the electronic medical record. The SPC will facilitate contact with mental health providers and Veterans who have been identified as surviving an attempt or who are identified as being high-risk. The SPC will establish a mail contact program to provide an "enhanced care" model of prevention which maintains communication with the Veteran. The SPC should develop partnerships with their facility Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Coordinators, Patient Safety Managers (PSM), Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Coordinators, local Veteran Center staff, residential care teams and local mental health teams. This partnership is to assure that patients are assessed and evaluated for suicide risk as appropriate (including CSSRS screens at the onset of a period of care, and CSREs when needed for positive screens), and that preventative interventions are in place. The SPC is a resource for both the VA facility and community related to Veteran suicide and suicide prevention issues. The SPC is responsible for the delivery of the S.A.V.E. training, or other approved "gatekeeper" training, to all non-clinical staff who have patient contact, typically at New Employee Orientation. The SPC is also responsible for the delivery of other training programs at the site by request of the facility. The SPC is responsible for the delivery of the community version of S.A.V.E. training to community organizations that have contact with Veterans, on request. The overall expectation is that each SPC will provide one training per month. The SPC is responsible for following-up on referrals received from staff as a result of the S.A.V.E. training or other trainings. The SPC is responsible for staff and patient education during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September of each year. Educational activities may include displays and exhibits regarding suicide prevention. In addition, educational activities may provide information about the Veterans Crisis Line discussion, and other support services available. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 04188F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@VA.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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. 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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English Education: 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. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology). OR Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and, the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. AND Internships: 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.) OR 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. 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. Exception. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 [(c)(2)(B)] for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. 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: Staff Psychologist, GS-13 Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. Knowledge of clinical research literature. References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary. May require prolonged standing, moderate walking, and manual dexterity. Requires carrying light items such as books, files, or laptop computer.

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 03/19/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12908791. 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.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-19