This position is located in the Mental Health Integrated Care Community (MH ICC). The incumbent provides comprehensive Occupational Therapy care to both inpatient and outpatient Veterans within the MH ICC. The incumbent fulfills plans of care developed by a treating Occupational Therapist.

Duties

Under the direct supervision of a fully licensed Occupational Therapist, the incumbent coordinates and carries out Mental Health Occupational Therapy (MH OT) interventions for referred Veterans to restore function, compensate for dysfunction and improve quality of life and independence. Contributes to the screening, evaluation and re-evaluation process by performing delegated assessments and reporting pertinent observations to the treating Occupational Therapist. Schedules Veterans for treatment, considering priority and frequency of care and coordinating schedules with other members of the treatment team. Flexibility of schedule must be maintained to allow for unscheduled Veterans and for family conferences. Assures all documentation and workload reporting is done in a timely manner in accordance with facility documentation policy for all Veteran visits. Functions on a multidisciplinary team, representing the MH-OT, by communicating directly with team members such as Veteran's physician, psychiatrist, nursing personnel, social worker, dietitian, psychologist and other Mental Health disciplines involved with the Veteran's care. Advises and instructs medical center staff regarding care of Veteran's needs and progress; also participating in discharge planning. Continues to maintain and learn advanced skills by attending continuing education courses and training when applicable. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0730-1600 Evenings & Weekends may be required Telework: Ad-hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. Education. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: Associate's or higher degree in occupational therapy from a college or university accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Completion of a military training program in an OTA program accredited by the ACOTE. Certification. OTAs must have written documentation that they have passed the entry-level certification examination for OTAs administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Licensure. OTAs must hold a full, current, and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a State, Territory, a Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia. Exceptions for Non-Certified or Non-Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant. OTAs who graduated from an ACOTE approved occupational therapy assistant program but do not possess the NBCOT certification and/or licensure requirements, may be appointed, pending licensure and/or NBCOT certification, on a full-time temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. ? 7405(a)(1)(B) and not to exceed two years in accordance with the timeframe in 38 U.S.C. ? 7405(c)(2). OTAs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until licensure and/or certification are obtained. OTAs may provide care only under the direct supervision of a licensed OTA or OT who meets all state regulatory requirements. Temporary OTA appointments may not be extended beyond two years. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. English Language Proficiency. OTA candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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: Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-05 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-06 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of evidence-based occupational therapy practice. Knowledge of basic group techniques and interpersonal communication Skill in written communication to document data, progress/change in status, discharge status, and patient or caregiver education. Skill in oral communication to document data, progress/change in status, discharge status, and patient or caregiver education. Ability to assist in the development of treatment goals/objectives. Ability to implement a patient care plan incorporating activity analysis theory. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-07 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Skill in promoting occupational therapy services effectively, providing training and interventions within the assigned areas Ability to perform in depth chart review to identify treatment goals and implement treatment plans. Ability to use problem-solving skills when providing therapeutic interventions for patients. Ability to provide multi-step instructions to patients, caregivers and other health care professionals adapting instructions to meet the learning needs of the individual. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-08 Experience. One year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to implement delegated assessments. Ability to provide reports of observations and patient performance. Ability to use complex therapeutic techniques and interventions, utilizing problem-solving skills to maximize patient's functional status. Ability to modify therapeutic interventions for simple and complex cases with a wide range of diagnoses and disabilities. Ability to recommend complex adaptive and assistive devices and durable medical equipment. Ability to consult with health care practitioners about the patient's treatment plan and the occupational therapy scope of practice and services. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G22 - OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-8.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address St Cloud VA Medical Center 4801 Veterans Drive St Cloud, MN 56303 US
• Name: Breeze Hennes
• Phone: (320) 252-1670 X5222
• Email: [email protected]