Psychiatrist Section Chief

Full Time, onsite
Veterans Health Administration
Portsmouth, United States of America

$ 285,000 - $ 320,000 / month

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This position will have administrative oversight and supervisory responsibility for the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Teams, Mental Health CONNECT, and Trauma Recovery Services Teams at the CBOCs and the North Battlefield Clinic. This is a multi-disciplinary position that will be advertised as a Psychiatrist, Psychologist Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHCs), Social Worker.

Program Administrative/Supervisory Responsibilities

Administrative oversight of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs (BHIPs), MH CONNECT, and Trauma Recovery Services (TRS).Ensures the quality and safety of the care, treatment and services.

Assist in identification of important aspects of care.

Responsible for the oversight of 140 FTEE to include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychology technicians, marriage and family therapists, LPMHCs, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Liaisons in collaboration with the Chief of MHBS, the CBOC Administrator, Health Administration Service, Primary Care at the CBOCs, and Nursing Services.

Responsible for ensuring that the BHIP and TRS program meet all applicable practice requirements and standards. Responsible for the professional, management, and administrative aspects of all of these teams.

Coordinates multiple legs of the program across sites using data-driven processes, and implements action plans based on this data analysis.

Supervisory responsibilities include ongoing evaluation of staffing needs and personnel assignments.

Monitors and ensures compliance with Joint Commission and other accreditation bodies.

Academic/Teaching

Supports and ensures compliance on the part of assigned staff support of resident/PA/NP/DO student supervision policy, clinical reminders, completion of encounters and notes, performance measures and indicators.

Plans and oversees the completion of personal research programs.

Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees.

Process owner for Implementation of Clinical Programs/Projects.

Clinical Responsibilities

Provides support and clinical oversight for the caregiver support program.

Will work with interdisciplinary team to determine initial and continued eligibility for previously approved dyads.

Will work with an interdisciplinary team to provide treatment recommendations and plans in conjunction with Veterans clinical care team

Coordinates with the care team and the eligibility assessment team, through subordinates monitors the well-being of the Veteran as well as ongoing or changes in care needs.

Provides a full range of medical services including assessment and using the most appropriate techniques in providing quality care.

Performs appropriate evaluation and management of patients to include ordering of diagnostic tests and consultations.

Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions to units/programs.

Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences.

Documentation of care in the medical record in keeping with the bylaws of the Medical Center.

Provides supervisory oversight for residents, fellows, medical students, PA students.

Provides supervisory oversight of the clinical care of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants.

Provides medical consultations and cross coverage in the Domiciliary, inpatient unit, homeless programs and other mental health clinics.

Ensures that the practice of medicine is consistent with Joint Commission, CARF, VA policies and procedures, clinical practice guidelines, VISN standards, national statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, mandatory continuing education, and HIPPA policies.

Other related duties as assigned.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. .

Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off 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)
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: 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
CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)
Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8am to 4:30pm

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Subject to background/security investigation.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

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.

Additional Requirement:

Board Certification: Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA; however, three circumstances in VA require physician board certification:
(1) If the position being filled is required to be a supervisor for medical students or physician residents (including fellows), the LCME, ACGME or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply.
(2) If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example, in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools), then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position.
(3) If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example, as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory
Leadership/Manager Positions. Physician leadership and manager positions may be facility chiefs of staff, directors (i.e., medical center and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN)); selected positions in VHA Central Office; and service chiefs or service line managers. Positions are approved for these levels based on the scope and complexity of the assignment and the level of responsibility.
Service Chief or Line Manager. A service chief or line manager physician must demonstrate the following:(a) Outstanding professional ability in the practice of medicine or a medical specialty; and(b) Ability to guide the development and implementation of programs within their respective domain. These programs would include, but are not limited to medical practice, professional standards, personnel issues, and quality and performance improvement.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally. Reaching above shoulder; Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day); Sitting (4-7 hours per day); Walking up to 6 hours per day); Standing (up to 8 hours per day); Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs; Some bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Correctable near sighted and far-sighted vision; Hearing (Aid permitted). The work may be performed primarily in a well-lit and temperature-controlled office environment. With patients who may suffer with mental illness, there is occasional risk of violence requiring the use of good judgment and safety precautions.

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.
For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.]

NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit at .

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Subject to background/security investigation.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

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.

Education

Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.
For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.]