Clinical Psychologist JBER Anchorage, Alaska

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) is located in Southcentral, Alaska amid picturesque, majestic, snow-capped mountains, lakes, rivers and glaciers. The area abounds with wildlife. Many northern tier states such as Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have shorter but much colder winters than south central Alaska.

JBER is 2,264 miles north of Seattle, Washington, and 358 miles south of Fairbanks, Alaska. The Anchorage community has a military presence of over 32,000 people and accounts for approximately 10 percent of the local population.  Alaska is a very military friendly state! Come prepared to be awed by this beautiful base, and state. There's nowhere else like Alaska!

Anchorage provides most of the conveniences of a large city.  There are greenbelts and parks throughout the city, and has access to dozens of activities for families, such as world-class fishing, skiing, snow-machining, ice skating, sledding, hiking, biking & rafting are just a stone's throw away.

Midnight sun gives Alaskans long days to enjoy summer.  You can expect highs in the 60s & 70s (and possibly a week or 2 in the low 80s).  During the weeks leading up to late June's summer solstice, the sun is above the horizon 18-21 hours/per day, creating opportunities for midnight hikes & fishing at 10pm as a typical Alaskan lifestyle. 

Anchorage actually has a warmer climate than other cold-weather cities like Chicago or Minneapolis because it's on the ocean.  The temperature is a "micro-climate" in Alaska-no matter where you are in the state, you are a 1-2 hour drive away in any direction resulting in a 30 degree temperature change.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

The incumbent works as an independent professional under the administrative supervision of Behavioral Health carrying out independent duties in accordance with (IAW) generally accepted psychological theories, methods, techniques, and practices. Assignments are received in broad terms with the expectation of autonomous implementation. The incumbent maintains full professional responsibility and individual accountability for professional decisions and actions. Incumbent’s findings, conclusions and recommendations are accepted as being professionally sound by colleagues and organization superiors.

Incumbent serves as Psychologist for the Clinic. Makes mental health diagnoses as appropriate in accordance with DSM-IV-TR criteria, or other, more current, accepted standards. Provides individual and group therapy, using various modalities as clinically indicated to include brief problem-focused psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and client-centered therapy. Assesses acute mental health conditions in beneficiaries who present with such issues. Maintains appropriate documentation of patient care in accordance with current unit and hospital SOPs; current DoD, Army, Federal and state regulations; and professional ethics. Maintains performance and conduct in accordance with current unit and hospital SOPs; current DoD, DA, Federal and state regulations; and professional ethics.

Assesses and provides crisis intervention for individuals and families. Other intervention skills may include capacity to perform stress management, relaxation training, assertive/social skills training, smoking cessation training, substance abuse identification and brief related interventions appropriate for primary care-based practice, weight reduction training, and brief interventions for mastery of anxiety, depression, post traumatic symptoms and post deployment stress symptoms. Participates in related quality assurance activities. Provides individual, couple, family, and/or group psychological counseling utilizing a variety of treatment modalities to child, adolescent, and/or adult patients. Provides psychological and clinical consultation to other professionals and paraprofessionals through established consultation channels. Personal contacts include, but are not limited to, contacts with other professional within the fields of counseling, psychology, social work, psychiatry, medicine, nursing, education and Army unit leaders. These contacts are for the purpose of gathering relevant data and providing consultation in order to facilitate the accurate assessment and treatment of referred patients.

MAJOR DUTIES

CLINICAL ASSESSMENT:

Screens and interviews patients, and performs bio-psychological social evaluations, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to psychological counseling; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Monitors and evaluates completeness of patient intake. Selects, approves, and documents treatment priorities through a treatment plan. Reviews level of care for appropriateness. Evaluates and approves referral sources. Prepares and delivers briefings and presentations. Conducts meetings, conferences, etc. Establishes cooperative agreements among various treatment providers. Monitors, evaluates, and approves use of community resources. Provides reports and approves consults.

THERAPY, CASE STAFFING, AND TREATMENT:

Conducts therapy, monitors, approves, and documents all treatment planning, and provides advice for case staffing, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to psychological counseling; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Reviews and approves the appropriate modality of each patient. Develops treatment processes and procedures for orientation of patients. Evaluates information/education processes. Evaluates overall effectiveness of therapeutic efforts. Institutes changes to increase effectiveness of therapeutic efforts. Evaluates appropriateness of treatment plans and goals. Develops treatment plans for the most severe cases. Provides structure and procedures for organization of case staffing information. Approves diagnoses. Establishes policies for case staffing. Uses objective behavioral outcome measures to evaluate progress in treatment. Participates with other professional staff in providing emergency mental health services on a scheduled, rotating, on-call basis to patients during normal duty hours to include screening patients for appropriateness of psychiatric hospitalizations. Coordinates with a variety of agencies to assist with the multidisciplinary treatment of patients. These contacts may include, but are not limited to social work, nursing, community counseling centers, the exceptional family member program, command and legal or other community agencies. Will interact with military commanders and be able to provide extensive knowledge of soldiering and the deployment cycle.


ADMINISTRATION:

Executes performance initiatives (PI) through revision of clinical standards and procedures; performs special actions and a variety of program administrative duties; and performs a wide variety of quality management/quality assurance (QM/QA) duties to meet Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requirements, using expert knowledge of the general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to psychological counseling; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Evaluates clinical records and monitors all test administration and scoring for quality assurance. Evaluates environment of care. Monitors all risk management issues and takes appropriate action. Establishes and executes performance initiatives. Establishes and monitors objective behavioral outcome measures. Develops and revises professional service plans. Evaluates and revises standard operating procedures. Develops, approves, and executes the professional business plan. Conducts program evaluation. Consults with ancillary care providers. Substantiates the results of crisis intervention. Reviews data provided in reports of special actions. Directs budget priorities; directs manpower surveys; and briefs reports to the command and higher headquarters. Reviews statistical data to modify program goals. Evaluate and approve educational packets.

TESTING:

Oversees and interprets appropriate tests, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to clinical psychology; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze patient assessments; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Monitors, maintains, and secures test instrument inventory. Approves selection of various tests. Interprets various complex tests. Provides consultation regarding testing and interpreting issues. Evaluates test results for release. Evaluates diagnostic summaries.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:

Develops, implements, and evaluates professional development activities, using expert knowledge of general and specific concepts, principles, procedures, and practices relating to clinical psychology; expert knowledge of the full range of psychological testing; expert knowledge of psychodynamics, psychopathology, and therapeutic techniques; ability to analyze clinical assessments of patients; skill in written communication; and skill in oral communication. Coordinates inter-departmental in-service training. Evaluates scope of practice and modifies, as required. Evaluates training opportunities. Evaluates orientation activities. Attends American Psychology Association or the National Association of Social Workers approved continuing education training. Adheres to the applicable Code of Ethics. Evaluates professional development activities.

PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

Basic Requirements:

US Citizenship required

Incumbent may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and varying work schedules.

Incumbent must pass a required Pre-Appointment Physical.

Required to provide proof of US citizenship.

Must be able to obtain & maintain Basic Life Saving (BLS).

If selected, official college or university transcript must be submitted.

Must be a credential member of the Military Training Facility (MTF).

License/Certification: Unrestricted license as a doctoral level Psychologist. Must have a valid state license.

This is an Inclement Weather Essential position: Incumbent is expected to make every attempt to report for duty on time and/or remain on duty during severe weather conditions.

This position requires occasional TDY - 5%.