Assistant Acute Care Chief - Mental & Behavioral Health Service

<p>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.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>Management Duties: Promoting Recovery: The AACC is responsible for assisting the ACC in ensuring that the staff of PACD adheres to the principles and practices of recovery-driven mental health services. The AACC helps ensure that staff are trained in evidence-based recovery services and promote staff's implementation of these services within PACD. Regulatory Standards: Acute Care Division Leadership and the AACC ensure that program services meet accreditation requirements and are compliant with regulatory and accountability standards such as those set forth by CARF, the Joint Commission, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and VA Central Office (VACO). Design, Implementation, and Evaluation Procedures: The AACC is responsible for overseeing the design, implementation, and evaluation of PACD consistent with evidence-based best practices in mental health. Specifically, the AACC will work with the ACC to oversee the development of program activities, services, record-keeping, schedules, policies, evaluation procedures, marketing brochures, educational resources, etc. The incumbent initiates goals and strategic plans and monitors progress towards these ends. The AACC serves as the back-up leader of PACD and convenes staff meetings and other meetings to promote effective functioning of PACD when the ACC is not available. Maintaining Relationships: The AACC assists the ACC in liaising with other programs, departments, and stakeholders about the role of the DPACD and helps develop/maintain relationships with service line and supervisory staff. The incumbent seeks to identify internal and external customer needs and sets for procedures to meet those needs. Staffing and Work Assignments: The AACC assists the ACC in identifying and organizing work to be accomplished by staff within PACD according to priorities related to the MBHS and DVAHCS mission and goals. The AACC works with supervisors as needed to resolve scheduling problems, to oversee the setting of clear schedules, defining expectations for work completion, while providing flexibility that reflects the complex nature of the problems of the Veteran population served. Clinical Operations: The AACC assists the ACC in addressing coverage issues, managing day-to-day conflicts, and liaising with administrative staff both internal to the MBHS service and throughout the hospital. The AACC may advocate for clinic space, equipment, and technology resource allocation that best meets the needs of PACD and the broader service and facility. Along with Division leadership, the AACC is involved with decision-making about clinical services provided and admission criteria, program operations, and reporting requirements. The above list is not all inclusive Work Schedule: Depending on primary location of work (hospitalist vs non-hospitalist), position will include 80h over 2 weeks with rotating weekend work and/or evening work and call responsibilities. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: 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. 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 Clinical Duties: In addition to administrative and leadership activities, the AACC provides clinical services consistent with their scope of practice with the PACD. The AACC independently provides clinical assessment, treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, and other appropriate mental health services to Veterans and their family members as assigned.</p><h3>Requirements</h3>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 examination. 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.<h3>Education</h3>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.