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's Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens. Current VA and Federal employees should submit their most recent non-award SF-50

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This is a direct patient care position responsible for performing the work of a creative arts therapist, including assessment, planning, implementation, and treatment that is appropriate to the needs, skills and aptitudes of the patient to achieve therapeutic goals through engagement in the creative process. Supports reflection of the art process and product through an art therapy framework to develop specific skills attained through art making that may include increased independence, focus to task, sense of self-worth, coping skills, self-care and social skills. Provides a safe environment for patients to understand the symbolic expression of their art product, process, and their experience with the materials as it relates to their recovery and wellness to patients in Spinal Cord Injury.

Duties Include but are not limited to:

• Evaluates patients with formal and informal assessments, develops individualized art therapy treatment plans and interventions with knowledge of symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy based on current literature and best practices.
• The incumbent gathers informal art-based assessment of SCI/D patients' needs, aptitudes, interests and abilities; develops and implements an individualized art therapy treatment plan to include the scope, duration and frequency of treatment. Stage of life is considered and used to modify evaluation and treatment based on the needs of the individual. Assessment of the patient's learning needs is performed and patient education is tailored to meet those needs for the patient, his family and significant others throughout the treatment process.
• Identifies potential risks, modifies treatment plans as needed, and develops adaptive interventions to facilitate a safe therapeutic environment.
• Uses diagnostic coding and symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy.
• Applies the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states.
• Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflects a trusting, empathetic and respectful interaction.
• Evaluates patients with SCI/D regarding history, interests, aptitudes and skills through interview, inventories, tests and measurements to determine individual and specialized needs
• Uses advanced knowledge of contemporary art therapy theory and techniques across multiples areas of practice to evaluate, determine goals, implement a program, recommend adaptive equipment, and plan discharge for patients within the specialized area.
• Communicates with team members regarding changes in patient status, development of treatment programs, and discharge plans. Develops and carries out advanced art therapy treatment to meet individual SCI/D rehabilitation objectives which may include: therapeutic arts intervention; teaching adaptive or compensatory techniques; utilizing clinical reasoning to determine best-practice strategies in light of cognitive, emotional or social issues in the veteran's life. This list of advanced skills relates specifically to the SCI /D population. These treatment interventions are conducted both one on one with individuals and in group settings
• Demonstrates the ability to make many decisions regarding custom adaptation of established treatment procedures and equipment for the person with SCI/D to ensure successful outcomes of simple complex and unique cases.
• Provides input to the Director and the Spinal Cord Injury/Disorders Services for the development and/or revision of creative arts department policy and procedures as requested. Demonstrates skills in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current creative art therapy theory, recent research and practice.
• Develops and completes documentation of patient care including assessments, progress notes, encounters, consultations, care plans, and other reports with concise and clear clinical information . Documentation must comply with all required timeframe standards.
• Incumbent is responsible for over-seeing the day-to-day operation of the SCI/D Creative Art Therapy clinic areas to which assigned.
• Serves as a subject matter expert in Creative Arts Therapy for the SCI/D department. Makes recommendations for purchase of capital equipment requests related to creative arts supplies and equipment.
• Supervises Creative Art Therapy students; performs regular evaluations of skills, clinical instruction, and mentorship.
• Maintains professional competence and certification/licensure/registration through participation in relevant continuing education.

Preferred Experience: Neurologic rehabilitation experience preferred.

Work Schedule: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm (subject to change based on the needs of the facility)
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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.
• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(F)
• Education: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:°

(1) Master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in Art Therapy approved by the American Art Therapy Association on or before June 30, 2016. If the degree is received after June 30, 2016, a master's degree or higher from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy, must be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Art Therapy Education: a committee of the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Education Program.

OR

(2) Master's degree in a related field, plus graduate coursework and supervised field experience in Art Therapy. Acceptable related fields include: Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, and Psychiatry, AND must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board. If hired under this education, the registration cannot be waived.

Registration: Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 3b(2)(b), registration cannot be waived.

Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for registration 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-9 level.

Failure to Obtain Registration/Certification: 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.

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.

Grandfathering Provision: 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: In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grade(s) in which you are applying:

GS-9 Creative Arts Therapist (Entry Level)

Experience/Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment: Employees at this level serve in an entry level position as creative arts therapist (art). Employees have knowledge of their respective discipline and work with direct supervision and guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff. Established treatment procedures are substantially adapted and applied for patients who are acutely ill. Therapists at this level may be given general assignments in a program area.

GS-11 Creative Arts Therapist (Full Performance Level) Experience: At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level (GS-9). Examples include, but are not limited to: knowledge of their respective discipline and work with direct supervision and guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff. Established treatment procedures are substantially adapted and applied for patients who are acutely ill. Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimum outcome. Maintains timely and appropriate documentation of all consults, initial evaluations, progress notes, discharge notes, patient/family education, workload statistics, QA monitors, patient attendance records and other clinical activities.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to identify current art resources in the community at the time of assessment, for discharge planning purposes.
• Ability to develop and implement quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety.
• Knowledge of diagnostic coding and symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy.
• Knowledge of the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states.
• Ability to demonstrate and educate stakeholders on the value of the creative process as a therapeutic tool.
• Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflect a trusting, empathetic, and respectful interaction.
• Skill in collaborating and maintaining liaison with an interdisciplinary team and educating the treatment team on theoretical framework of art therapy interventions.

Assignment. Employees at this level serve as a creative arts therapist (art) at the full performance level. They provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for complex patients only. They gather informal art-based assessment of patients' needs, aptitudes, interests, and abilities. The therapist also develops and implements individualized art therapy treatment plans, to include the scope, duration, and frequency of treatment. Treatment goals may include, but are not limited to: emotional regulation, resolving traumatic memories, active meditation, building empathy and a sense of self-worth, and identifying potential risks and the need for adaptive interventions to facilitate improved well-being. Duties may include, but are not limited to developing art therapy programs, interventions, and instructional programs, including typical and atypical materials and resources that are appropriate to the needs, skills, and aptitudes of the patient. The therapist supports engagement in, and reflection of, the art process and product, through an art therapy framework where the engagement develops specific skills attained through art making that may include increased independence, focus to task, sense of self-worth, improved coping skills, self-care, and social skills. They provide a safe environment for patients to understand the symbolic expression of their art product, process, and their experience with the materials as it relates to their recovery and wellness.

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

Preferred Experience: Neurologic rehabilitation experience preferred.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11

Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting (15-44 pounds); Moderate carrying (15-44 pounds); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking; Standing; Climbing (use of legs and arms); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Clear Speech; Emotional and mental stability.

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.

Area of Consideration: Eligible Applicants will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

• Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
• All other VA employees.
• Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
• All other applicants

Note: Veteran's preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal agencies.