Physician - Psychiatry (Chief of Mental Health)

Summary

The Chief of Mental Health (MH) is responsible for all clinical and administration aspects of the services delivered in Mental Health Service (MHS). Responsible for all aspects of administration in MHS in the relationship to the VA Medical Center at large. Responsibilities are complex in scope and involve organization of service delivery, management of programs across the healthcare system, coordination and supervision of staff, program evaluation, performance improvement and budget.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. 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 Administrative Responsibilities: The Chief of MH is responsible for day-to-day management and operational oversight of the Mental Health Service Has staff authority for resource allocations within Mental Health Service Ensures efficient operation of the Mental Health Service Prepares annual Budget Call for the Mental Health Service Monitors and oversees Fund Control Points of assigned Seeks additional resources as warranted, with use of data-driven criteria in support of all requests Provides leadership, guidance, and coordination of multidisciplinary staff to ensure the provision of comprehensive and quality services to meet the needs of Veterans served Supervises a group of employees performing work at various GS levels and across organizational units, specialty areas and programs providing administrative, personnel, technical and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit/service including outreach efforts and efforts at other sites within a Health Care System Organizes and leads leadership team meetings to meet organizational goals Plans work to be accomplished by team leaders and program managers, including establishing priorities, timelines for completion and necessary adjustments therein. Ensures optimal collaboration across program teams, to include effective communication, resource sharing, and transfer of patients across a continuum of services Monitors compliance of program managers, coordinators, team leaders and members with VA performance measures and effectively shapes provider practice patterns to improve standing on performance measures Functions as the supervisor of record for MH Supervisory team members, establishing guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system Provides clinical supervision, as appropriate, to assigned team leaders and members regarding adherence to Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC clinical and legal standards and policies, documentation of CPRS procedures, and the clinical management of difficult, complex, and dangerous patients Resolves formal and informal complaints and grievances Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area Conducts ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects that monitor the effectiveness of clinical operations within their respective program(s) Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, inpatient days, patient demographics, equipment utilization and patient satisfaction Has oversight for various fund control points assigned to the Mental Health Service. The incumbent manages and controls the use of data related to these programs regarding the day-to-day functioning and program evaluation Provides leadership in hiring of new staff members for each program. Deploys resources within programs, based on a data-driven decision-making process with consideration given to the overall needs of the organization and Service Line (e.g., productivity, clinic utilization, staffing needs, barriers to access, etc.) Clinical Responsibilities: Provide treatment for beneficiaries with general psychiatric disorders in a variety of treatment, including tele-mental health. Must be skilled is Psychopharmacology. Must be able to provide a comprehensive psychiatric summary. Ensure accreditation requirements are met including reviewing checklists compliance for JC and CARF Document patient care in the patient chart via the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). All documentation shall be completed in accordance with VA policy and procedures Adhere to all quality management performance measures which will be reviewed monthly through peer reviews. Missed opportunities New and Established Wait times Complete clinical reminders Complete Pertinence reviews Complete encounters at the end of each patient visit Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Requirements

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.

Qualifications and evaluation

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. 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. 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.

How to apply

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. To apply for this position online, complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/25/2026 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means. If you are unable to apply online before the closing date click here and include the CBTF-13055722-26-BB-Foxtrot in the Notes field. 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a C.V. and/or resume. Other documents may be requested later in the process if needed

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 Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.