Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to current permanent department of Veteran Affairs employees. (You must provide your most recent non-award SF-50 to be included as an internal applicant.) Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order 1.) Current permanent VA employees of the facility 2.) All other VA employees

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DUTIES MAY INCLUDE HOWEVER ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

• Demonstrates an advanced competency, which qualifies him/her to perform patient evaluations and treatment procedures independently on patients with a variety of complex diagnoses and disabilities, in addition to serving as clinical expert for the most complex of cases.
• Evaluates, establishes goals based on evaluation findings, and develops treatment interventions for patients across multiple types of clinical practice.
• Provides professional oversight and consultation for staff therapists.
• Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimum outcomes.
• Expected to perform documentation of patient care including assessments, progress notes, encounters, consultations, care plans, and other reports as needed.
• Uses Recreation Therapy expertise for direct service delivery to patients.
• Acts as a subject matter expert to staff, students, and other healthcare professionals.
• Serves as Recreation Therapy representative on interdisciplinary teams as assigned or needed.
• Analyzes clinically appropriate data and makes recommendations to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within services.
• Consultation with patients, their families, and caregivers, Program Coordinator shall educate as required regarding treatment interventions and goals, in addition to any consideration involving adaptations to better ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
• Demonstrates ability and competency in treating patients that range in age from young adult to geriatric who may experience complex medical or mental health issues.
• Coordinates clinical activities within the workgroup.
• Adheres with Medical Center policies. Utilizes Automated Data Processing (ADP) system in accordance with established procedures. Adheres to Medical Center ADP Security policy.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements, interdisciplinary structure, and organizational structure to serve as a liaison between specialty care and other programs that would affect coordination of care, healthcare access, program evaluation, assessment, and planning future needs.
• Facilitates program development, outcome management, and strategic planning.
• Promotes effective communication with all patients, caregivers, treatment team members, Medical Center staff, and community partners.
• Acts as liaison between staff, volunteers, or trainees, and serves as an immediate supervisor to resolve informal complaints and concerns activities.
• Maintains professional competence through participation in appropriate educational.
• Leads and directs staff to implement evidence-based recreation and/or creative arts therapy approaches to patients with varied treatment needs and skill level.
• Participates in staff orientation, successfully completes Medical Center assigned mandatory trainings, and in-service activities. Has knowledge of procedures and policies to provide oversight and training for auxiliary staff, volunteers, and trainees.
• Deliver treatment in compliance with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) accrediting agencies and VHA directives.
• Program Coordinator meets the needs of customers (Veterans, their representatives, visitors, volunteers, co-workers, facility staff and the general public) supporting VA missions.
• Consistently communicates and interacts with customers in a courteous, tactful and respectful manner; while providing consistent information in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States (U.S.). (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)).

b. Education. The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist, creative arts therapist (art), creative arts therapist (dance/movement), creative arts therapist (drama), and creative arts therapist (music):

(1) Recreation Therapist:
(a) A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation. The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC);
OR,
(b) A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The degree must be approved by the NCTRC. If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived.

ci. Certification
(1) Required Certification
(a) Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 4b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived.

(2) Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for registration and/or certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registration and/or certification during this temporary full-time appointment may be terminated. The exception only applies to positions at the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be registered and/or certified.

(3) Failure to Obtain Registration/Certification. In all cases, recreation and creative arts therapists must actively pursue meeting registration and/or certification requirements, starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unregistered and/or uncertified recreation or creative arts therapist with the written requirement to obtain registration/certification, the date by which the registration and/or certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming registered and/or certified by the deadline. Failure to become registered and/or certified within two years from the date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0638 recreation and creative arts therapist occupation, and may result in termination of employment.

(4) Loss of Credential. A recreation or creative arts therapist who fails to maintain the required registration and/or certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

e. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a recreation or creative arts therapist, on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level, or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Employees who were appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration/certification, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. 5
(4) Recreation and creative arts therapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements, in effect at the time of reentry, as a recreation or creative arts therapist.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: To be determined according to FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: PART II APPENDIX G60 EFFECTIVE DATE: June 7, 2019 RECREATION AND CREATIVE ARTS THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0638 Veterans Health Administration.

Preferred Experience: Experience in outpatient mental health.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 12 to 12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.