Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employees

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This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 08/31/2024 and applicants will be referred as needed after that. NOTE: Announcement will remain open until no longer needed, but no later than December 31, 2024.

• Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients.
• Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling.
• Ensures program effectiveness and modification of service pattern.
• Advises and collaborates with other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
• Maintains effective rapport with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved in IDT.
• Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials.
• Provides emotional support and counseling using empathy and strong interpersonal skills to effectively connect with people of all ages.
• Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups.
• Conducts rituals before groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills.
• Conducts regular rounds of hospital wads where patients are critically ill.
• Provides advanced care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families.
• Provides pastoral ministry to patients with respect to their patient's faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises.
• Engages in group consultative discussions or conferences to provide Chaplain related input to collaborate on the evaluation and review of patient's progress.
• Uses thorough knowledge of different faiths to perform various religious rituals, lead prayers, and answer spiritual questions.
• Provides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters.
• Counsels patient with long term health illness to aid in developing and maintaining patience, determination, and perseverance.
• Interacts and maintains cooperative relationships with Medical Center personnel, family, local clergy, individuals, and groups in the community.
• Administers ordinances, rites or sacraments; ability to perform Last Rites; prepares and delivers sermons; arranges for the atmosphere and symbolism of worship; and conducts funeral services when needed.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 4:30 PM
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting of with the incumbent using as assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  NOTE on foreign education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) listed at https://www.naces.org/members. *Must include transcript in application.

• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. *Must include CPE documentation in application
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp *Must include the ecclesiastical endorsement in application
• Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ® or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ® Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. *Must include the board certification if applying at the GS-11 or above.
  • Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) for a period not to exceed two years. This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9).
  • For the journey level (GS-11) and above, the candidate must have board certification.

To qualify for the GS-9 grade level,
In addition, demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided.
• Ability to use the information of the spiritual assessment to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care.
• Ability to provide crisis intervention and stabilization.
• Skill in healthcare team collaboration to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual issues.
• Ability to ensure free exercise of religion for patients and staff.
• Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families; providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care.
• Skill in the coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients. viii. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds.

To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 level that is directly related to the position to be filled. Experience may include conducting spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and creates plans for care in response to the moral injuries and spiritual distress of patients and coordinating religious services in a manner which respects the faith traditions and religious expression of patient.

In addition, demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families.
• Skill in guiding patients in verbalizing and expressing values through life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation.
• Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome-driven and evidenced based within the department guidelines.
• Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties and justice or confinement matters.
• Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support.
• Ability to educate and equip healthcare staff and trainees screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress.
• Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff.

For the GS-12 grade level, you must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-11) that is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of experience may include independently serves as a primary resource and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers and staff; providing advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families; providing guidance and/or support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation and supporting the development of staff resiliency by providing emotional and spiritual support and compassionate presence and develops programs for staff development and wellness.
AND
You must hold a specialty certification. Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification and is required for the GS-12 grade level. Specialty certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the assignment is qualifying for a senior chaplain assignment. See Education section for information regarding specialty certification *Must provide copy of specialty certification in application packet*

In addition, demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
• Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
• Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
• Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
• Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
• Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

References: VA Handbook 5005/135, Part II, Appendix G67 The full performance grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-12 grade level.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for 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; 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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.