This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-10. At the GS-09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-09. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.
These positions are in the Rehabilitation Medicine and Services Care Line of the VA Medical Center in Chillicothe, OH. Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Assembling pre-evaluation data, interpreting medical record information, reviewing therapy prescriptions, and conducting mental, physical, social, cognitive, environmental, financial, and motivational evaluations to write and implement treatment plans;
• Devising specific activities and routines to maintain or improve the patient's general state of physical and/or mental health;
• Creating therapeutic program for various types of disabilities;
• Striving to delay mental and physical deterioration, maintaining the highest degree of self-help and independence within the limitations of the patient's abilities;
• Handling difficult cases involving patients who have multiple diagnoses and/or other medical complications requiring unconventional approaches to treatment and resourcefulness in devising effective methods and procedures;
• Interpreting and administering the physician's recreation therapy prescription, scheduling patients for treatment, and integrating recreation therapy/creative arts activities with other treatments to achieve patient goals;
• Coordinating the overall treatment plan with the treatment team and the patient's family/caregiver;
• Minimizing further debilitation through cognitive retraining, reality orientation, group dynamics, one-on-one interaction, and problem/conflict resolution;
• Creating, supervising, administering, and teaching psycho-social activities for coping with frustration, stress, anger, guilt, and hostility with the appropriate use of leisure;
• Entering data into the medical center computer system and updating information to reflect the patient's status;
• Selecting, adapting, and/or adjusts recreation therapy modalities in accordance with rehabilitation goals;
• Modifying techniques and initiating new approaches as needed to ensure the realization of patient treatment goals;
• Performing related duties as required.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• May be required to serve a probationary period.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The position involves regular and recurring physical exertion when walking, standing, sitting, bending, moderately heavy lifting, moving of equipment, pushing wheelchairs, positioning severely disabled patients, transferring patients from bed to wheelchair, and assisting patients in ambulation. The work requires average agility and dexterity, as well as skill and ability in one or more art forms. Work is performed in clinics, wards, offices, conference rooms, gym, pool, bowling alley, and in the community and involves regular risks and discomforts. The therapist is exposed to infectious diseases and medical emergencies. Many patients encountered are emotionally disturbed and may demonstrate assaultive/aggressive behaviors secondary to chronic schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unaffected mental disorder, dementias, delirium, adjustment disorders, etc.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, all applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency, Basic Educational Requirement and one of the provisions under Experience:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT

A bachelor's or higher degree in recreational therapy.

NOTE: Your transcripts must clearly indicate the therapeutic emphasis or concentration. You may also submit an official statement from the school, along with your unofficial transcripts, verifying the emphasis or concentration. Failure to submit your transcripts may result in non-consideration.

AND

EXPERIENCE (OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE or COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)

GS-09: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in federal service that has provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Recreation Therapist. Qualifying specialized experience includes*: knowledge of the concepts, procedures, and techniques of recreation therapy; ability to assist others in recreation therapy programming, assisting with the administration of assessments and following pre-established treatment plans, interacting with core team members, assisting with administering therapeutic activities, and safety procedures; creating therapeutic activities, coordinating treatment plans, and completing documentation.

Or a master's degree, equivalent graduate degree, or two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major field of study directly related to recreation therapy. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Transcripts required.

GS-10: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in federal service that has provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Recreation Therapist. Qualifying specialized experience includes*: applying the concepts, procedures, and techniques of recreation therapy; performing recreation therapy programming, completion of assessments, interacting with core team members, developing treatment plans, creating and administering therapeutic activities, and safety procedures; creating therapeutic activities, coordinating treatment plans, and completing documentation.

Or Two and one half (2.5) years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a doctoral degree with a major field of study directly related to recreation therapy. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

*NOTE: Experience in activities or programs that did not require application of a knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices or recreational therapy or one of the creative arts therapy specializations covered by this standard and that did not involve the use of therapeutic approaches to maintain the physical and/or mental health or to achieve the physical and/or mental rehabilitation of persons (e.g., Outdoor Recreation Specialist, Commercial Recreation Leader, Vocational Counselor or other diversionary-type recreation specialist positions) is not qualifying for this series. Your experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit.

One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school; 18 semester hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required.

Combination of Education and Experience
Equivalent combinations of graduate education and specialized experience are qualifying at both grade levels.

QUALITY RANKING FACTOR
A Quality Ranking Factor* has been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for a position. The quality ranking factor for this position is:

"Certification in recreation therapy through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation." A copy of your certification is requested.

*Quality Ranking Factors are skills, knowledge, abilities, or other worker characteristics which could be expected to result in superior performance on the job. Quality ranking factors will not be used for screening, but may be used as ranking criteria. Applicants with higher proficiency levels may rank above those with lower proficiency levels on a quality ranking factor.


You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Medical Information
• Patient Care
• Quality Ranking Factor

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

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; religious; 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.

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.