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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Rehabilitation Counselor Near Sheridan, WY

Qualifications:

***This is an open continuous announcement until May 24, 2024. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. ***

Applicants pending the completion of certification/licensure requirements may be referred and selected at the GS-9 grade, but may not advance to the higher grade until all requirements are met. See exceptions for RC.

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
Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education
A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a rehabilitation counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). If the applicant's degree was granted prior to July 1, 2017, the program must be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education.

OR

A master's degree in counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

OR

A master's or doctoral degree in a related field of study with course content that emphasized rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness, or human development from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA.

OR

Foreign graduates with a degree acceptable by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).

Certification
Current, full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the CRCC to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling.

OR

Exceptions for Graduate RCs.
(a) RC graduates from an approved counseling or rehabilitation counseling program who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and the additional degree requirements for CRC certification by the CRCC, but do not possess the required certification, may be appointed, pending certification, as a graduate RC on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(a)(1)(D).
(b) Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
(c) Temporary graduate RC appointments may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.

Grandfathering Provision
All individuals employed as RCs within VHA 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 certification.

Grade Determinations:

GS-9

Experience
None beyond the basic requirements.

And

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of human development and behavior, medical, psychosocial, and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals.
(b) Knowledge of history, philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling.
(c) Ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information in conjunction with labor market trends and community/educational resources to develop an effective individual service delivery plan.
(d) Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services.
(e) Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement.
(f) Knowledge of assessment tools and methods, functional capacity evaluations and specific vocational preparation to evaluate transferrable skills, residual capacities and needs for accommodations and assistive technology.

GS-11

Experience
Completion of one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled.

OR

Education
A doctoral degree in rehabilitation counselor education or related field (e.g. rehabilitation psychology) from a CACREP accredited institution or from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA.

AND

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

(a) Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities, appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community.
(b) Knowledge of counseling theory, medical and psychiatric terminology and signs and symptomology of suicidal and homicidal ideations, to communicate appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers in relation to the Veteran and/or his/her family's psychosocial needs and to recommend and help implement suitable treatment plans.
(c) Ability to use evidence-based and evidence informed vocational and professional counseling practices to include individual placement and support (IPS), customized employment and supported employment models and motivational interviewing skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community.
(d) Knowledge of career development processes and job analysis methodology to determine essential functions of jobs, worksite modifications and/or alternative vocational goals given the work history and residual functional capacities of individuals with disabilities.
(e) Ability to administer and interpret a wide variety of assessment methods including transferrable skills and labor market analyses to evaluate for individual interests, aptitudes and abilities and to identify suitable vocational goals for the development of an effective individual service delivery plan.
(f) Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities.
(g) Knowledge of military culture and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans, particularly combat Veterans, to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work.

Preferred Experience: Experience in Voe Rehab and able to assist persons with functional, psychological, developmental, cognitive and emotional impairments, or health disabilities to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining, or returning to employment and/or education. Vocational rehabilitation provides services to promote and support optimal functioning and development of Veterans by utilizing appropriate counseling and training. Must be eligible to sit for CRC Exam.

References: VA Handbook 5005/133 PART II APPENDIX G62.

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-9 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

Responsibilities:

• Provides variety of professional rehabilitation counseling services such as personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities and professional counseling practices.
• Uses effective counseling skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community.
• Conducts psychosocial assessments using medical records, pertinent disability documentation, observation and interviews w/ Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories.
• Selects, administers, and interprets vocational and other psychometric instruments to evaluate abilities, transferrable skills, functional capacity, labor market analyses, aptitudes, interests, values, preferences, and overall work resilience and synthesize into an interpretive data report.
• Customizes vocational exploration activities to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals.
• Administers Measurement Based Care instrument to track progress throughout treatment and adjust goals and services.
• Consults with interdisciplinary teams to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions.
• Synthesizes assessment information to identify barriers to employment and their vocational implications.
• Completes various quality assurance and improvement activities to improve services provided.
• Determines clinical need for and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services to include work restoration/resilience treatment, transitional work placement and/or competitive employment, assistive technology, financial benefits counseling and potential benefits protections.
• Develops patient-centered treatment plans utilizing Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic, and Time-based (SMART) goals and provides ongoing assessment of Veterans progress.
• Procures and manages transitional work agreements from community, state, and federal agencies.
• Monitors worksite compliance with agreements to ensure Veterans are appropriately trained and evaluated consistent with industry standards.
• Devises solutions to reduce and/or eliminate barriers and meet Veterans placement needs which may require substantial modification to environmental or functional demands within a work setting.
• Provides psychoeducational and/or psychotherapeutic groups to facilitate effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills, work and life skills fostering independence and recovery.
• Provides job development, customized employment, job carving, job coaching, job accommodation, advocacy, and adaptation services to both Veterans with severe disabilities and to educate and support employers.
• Uses marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within the VA and the local business community.
• Establishes and maintains a liaison between the Medical Center and organizations within the community which provide competitive employment opportunities for Veterans.
• Provides disability education and program-specific training to staff and stakeholders.
• Communicates appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers concerning the Veteran and the family's psychosocial needs.
• Provides supervision to graduate level rehabilitation counseling students from an accredited affiliated educational institution, including educational experiences, and in-service education for trainees, rehabilitation staff, and other disciplines.
• Uses rehabilitation counseling theory, medical and psychiatric terminology, and symptomology and signs of suicidal and homicidal ideations to provide effective services.
• Provides professional recommendations and guidance regarding the career development processes and job analysis methodology to determine essential functions of jobs, worksite modifications and/or alternative vocational goals given the work history and residual functional capacities of individuals with disabilities.
• Utilizes knowledge of the military culture, military transition to civilian occupations, and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans, particularly combat Veterans, to advise those who are returning to the community, and community-based work.
• Adheres to the professional rehabilitation standards of the Joint Commission and CARF.
• Serves or chairs task groups or administrative committees on behalf of VHA Voc Rehab Service.
• Participates in professional peer review and individual case review and that of other professional disciplines as appropriate.

Work Schedule: Negotiable
Telework: Ad-Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 58814-A; 58815-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary