The incumbent serves as a Chaplain performing clinical assignments for the VHA. The Chaplain provides a complete range of spiritual care to Veterans, their families, and staff. The incumbent addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services.

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 08/31/2023 and applicants will be referred as needed after that. NOTE: Announcement will remain open until no longer needed but no later than December 31, 2023. Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients. Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling. Ensures program effectiveness and modification of service pattern. Advises and collaborates with other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT). Maintains effective rapport with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved in IDT. Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials. Provides emotional support and counseling using empathy and strong interpersonal skills to effectively connect with people of all ages. Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups. Conducts rituals before groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills. Conducts regular rounds of hospital wads where patients are critically ill. Provides advanced care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families. Provides pastoral ministry to patients with respect to their patient's faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises. Engages in group consultative discussions or conferences to provide Chaplain related input to collaborate on the evaluation and review of patient's progress. Uses thorough knowledge of different faiths to perform various religious rituals, lead prayers, and answer spiritual questions. Provides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters. Counsels patient with long term health illness to aid in developing and maintaining patience, determination, and perseverance. Interacts and maintains cooperative relationships with Medical Center personnel, family, local clergy, individuals, and groups in the community. Administers ordinances, rites or sacraments; prepares and delivers sermons; arranges for the atmosphere and symbolism of worship; and conducts funeral services when needed. Work Schedule: Monday Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 8:00 to 4:30 PM Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable (such as the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ? or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ? Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ?.) NOTE on foreign education: To be creditable, theological or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) listed at https://www.naces.org/members. Copy verification must be provided. *Must include supporting documentation with application Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. *Must include supporting documentation verifying the CPE requirement in application Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. ? 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp *Must include supporting documentation verifying the ecclesiastical endorsement requirement in application Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ? or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ? Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ?. *Must include supporting documentation verifying the board certification requirement in application packet if applying at the GS-11 grade level. Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. ? 7405(c)(2) for a period not to exceed two years. This exception only applies at the entry level (GS-9). For the journey level (GS-11) and above, the candidate must have board certification. At the time of appointment, the supervisor in collaboration with Human Resources, will provide the uncertified chaplain with the written requirements for obtaining certification, the date by which the certification must by acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to become certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency. Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. ? 7403(f). Selective Placement Factors: Selective Placement Factors represent minimum requirements for a position and evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Selective Placement Factor : Experience performing Catholic Sacraments, facilitating Catholic Mass, and performing Catholic last rites. Grade Determinations: To qualify for the GS-9 grade level, you must meet the above listed basic qualification requirements. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided. Ability to use the information of the spiritual assessment to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care. Ability to provide crisis intervention and stabilization. Skill in healthcare team collaboration to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual issues. Ability to ensure free exercise of religion for patients and staff. Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families; providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care. Skill in the coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients. viii. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds. To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 level that is directly related to the position to be filled. Experience may include conducting spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and creates plans for care in response to the moral injuries and spiritual distress of patients; providing crisis intervention and stabilization; collaborating with healthcare teams to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual distress, grief, and loss as existential concerns; addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families by using a variety of intervention methods; and, coordinating religious services in a manner which respects the faith traditions and religious expression of patient. In addition, you must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families. Skill in guiding patients in verbalizing and expressing values through life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome-driven and evidenced based within the department guidelines. Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties and justice or confinement matters. Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support. Ability to educate and equip healthcare staff and trainees screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress. Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff.

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 Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center 1481 West Tenth Street Indianapolis, IN 46202 US
• Name: Tandala Cook
• Phone: 317-709-5729
• Email: [email protected]