Psychiatrist (Program Manager) - Outpatient Mental Health Section

The physician serves as Senior Program Manager for the Outpatient Mental Health (OMH) program at the American Lake division of VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS), Tacoma, WA. The physician serves as the Director OMH for the Mental Health Service Line. The Mental Health Service at the VAPSHCS is a large and diverse integrated care line with over 400 FTEE, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and several additional clinical and administrative staff.

The Director of Outpatient Mental Health Service American Lake is responsible for the clinical and administrative operations of the largest section of the Mental Health Service at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. The Outpatient Mental Health Service at American Lake is comprised of several mental health programs. These programs include the Mental Health Clinic/Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (including Clozapine and Injection Page 2 of 10 Clinics); PTSD Outpatient Clinic; Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center; Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program; Neuropsychology Service; Mental Health Research Program and the Neuromodulation Clinic.

Program Management Responsibilities

• Provides broad program management responsibilities of a clinical care team, including leadership in the development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight of a complex program responsible for comprehensive clinical care of Veterans.
• Leads a number of multidisciplinary teams, which include psychologists, physicians, social workers, nurses, and other health professionals and trainees. The manager of this program oversees over 80 FTEE.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the programs, with the approval of the affiliated Service Line leader.

• Functions as the first line supervising authority (i.e., rater) for (6 ) Program Managers and (4) front-line staff members. For these individuals, the incumbent provides administrative, as well as clinical, supervision and/or consultation as appropriate.
• Provides administrative oversight and clinical consultation to other interdisciplinary team members for whom the incumbent is not the designated first line rating authority.
• Assumes responsibility for taking appropriate disciplinary actions for employees with performance problems in a timely and effective manner.

• Provides comprehensive psychiatric assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of psychopathology receiving care within the Community and Residential Care Services, including services for patients with complex psychopathology requiring advanced diagnostic and intervention skills.
• Demonstrates expertise in using and contemporary interview and assessment methods for mental disorders and/or behavioral health conditions.
• Provides education to patients and family members regarding mental disorders and best practices approaches to treatment.
• Provides comprehensive assessment of Veterans at imminent risk of harm to self and/or others (including grave disability) and facilitates admission for acute psychiatric hospitalization.
• Provides evidence-based pharmacotherapy for an assigned panel of patients, with evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions as indicated and appropriate

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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 one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• License: 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR
  • (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR
  • (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), 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.
  • Exceptions:
    • 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 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.
    • In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Board Certification: Current board certification in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.
3. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated.

• 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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.