The purpose of this position is to provide occupational therapy services, evaluations, and interventions, to those veterans who are in the process of being housed or who are housed via the HUD-VASH program in the VA Northern California Health Care System area.

Duties

Clinical Evaluations: Take place primarily in the home and the community and occasionally in a VA Clinic area, such as a VA OPC, individually or in groups. Conducts an evaluation that gathers information from the medical record, interview of the veteran and other appropriate people such as family and caregiver or other providers, observation, and standardized and non-standardized testing. Analyzes the demands of the activity. The therapist evaluates: a. Areas of occupation: activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. b. Performance skills: motor (posture, mobility, coordination, strength and effort, energy), process (knowledge, organization, adaptation) and communication/interaction (information exchange, relations). c. Performance patterns: habits, routines, roles. d. Context(s): Cultural, physical environment, social, personal, spiritual, temporal, virtual. e. Activity demands: the kind of tools, space, social, timing, body functions and body structures that are required by the activity. f. Client factors: body functions and structures. These include mental, sensory, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, speech and skin functions, and the body structures that support those functions. The nature of work for this position is to promote outpatient veterans' maximum level of independence and safety in the performance of everyday activities at home and in the community to support their transition from homeless to housed. Thus, the nature of the work requires full professional understanding of the theories, principles, and methodologies of the practice of OT using activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frames of reference, and therapeutic procedures. This includes the ability to apply them to the imminently or recently housed population, the ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to communicate and collaborate clearly with others, verbally and in writing, and flexibility to respond to changing circumstances. The nature of the work requires the ability to adapt OT methods to a variety of patient conditions, including complex medical, social, mental health and addiction conditions. The incumbent works in collaboration with members of the Housing and Urban Development-Department of Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Program, though independently applies OT principles. S/he may seek assistance for conditions that are unusual, complex or require highly specialized OT interventions from the OT supervisor and/or HUD-VASH colleagues. The purpose of this position is to provide occupational therapy services, evaluations, and interventions, to those veterans who are in the process of being housed or who are housed via the HUD-VASH program in the VA Northern California Health Care System area. Administrative 1. Maintains all required records, including: encounter entry, consult completion, and others as requested. 2. Represents Occupational Therapy Section to colleagues in HUD-VASH and others as appropriate. 3. Submits Prosthetic Consults in a timely manner and according to proper protocol. 4. Monitors clinic supply inventory and ensures adequate supply levels according to Rehabilitation Service protocol. 5. Maintains a safe and orderly work environment. 6. Participates in developing OT Quality Improvement (QI) indicators, conducts QI audits and shares responsibility for QI minutes when requested. 7. Participates in designing occupational therapy patient documentation forms. 8. Shares ideas and concerns about the OT HUD-VASH program with the OT Supervisor and HUD- VASH leadership. 9. Maintains awareness of Rehab, OT and HUD-VASH administrative duties, assignments and meetings throughout the year, such as staff meetings, cleaning assignments, receipt of deliveries, and others as requested.10. Carries out other job-related activities and special assignments as requested by supervisor, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where complexity and amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of duty time). Educational 1. Develops and implements interdepartmental and intradepartmental in-services and ongoing training on topics of rehabilitative, mental health, homelessness, and/or OT topics. 2. Supervises and trains OT interns and volunteers when assigned by supervisor. 3. Contributes ideas to improve the OT intern training program. 4. Attends and participates in Rehab, HUD-VASH, CBOC, Medical Center (Vtel or not) offerings, and/or professional conferences and workshops. 5. Interprets OT to patients, residents, allied health professionals, students, volunteers, visiting public, vendors and Veterans Affairs officials. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM; requires periodic weekend and holiday assignments Varying. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: Not Available. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 and/or Experience: (a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist. NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR (b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field. NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT State Licensure: Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license , to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. Exception for Graduate Occupational Therapist. OT graduates from an approved occupational therapy program who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess NBCOT certification and/or state licensure, may be appointed, pending certification and/or licensure, as a graduate OT on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. ? 7405(c)(2). English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. ? 7403(f). Preferred Experience: Experience in acute care or skilled nursing facility Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-9: Education, Experience, or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-11: Education, Experience, or Licensure. (a) Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled; or (b) Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field; or (c) Doctorate in occupational therapy. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy practice. (b) Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment. (c) Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others. (d) Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated. (e) Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing. (f) Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. (g) Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice. GS-12 Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits. (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders. (c) Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients. (d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). (e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, APPENDIX G14. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0631, dated December 13, 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position. A physical examination prior to placement is required.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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 VA Northern California Health Care System 10535 Hospital Way Mather, CA 95655 US
• Name: Havel Respes
• Phone: 415-221-4810 X23728
• Email: [email protected]