A Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate who must physically relocate to a different geographic area. A position is considered in a different geographic area if the worksite of the new position is 50 or more miles from the worksite of the position held immediately before the move.

Duties

This position functions as a Rehabilitation Counselor assigned to the VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Program within the Mental Health continuum of care based at the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System Medical Center located in Danville, Illinois. The VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Program consists out of Transitional Work/Compensated Work Therapy (TW/CWT), Supported Employment/Compensated Work Therapy (SE/CWT), Compensated Work Therapy/Therapeutic Residence (CWT/TR), and Community Based Employment Services (CBES/CWT) Programs. In addition to providing services for Veterans enrolled in VHA Vocational Rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Counselor is responsible for providing supported employment (SE) services to Veterans with substance use disorders by following the Individual Placement & Support Model (IPS). Major Duties: Must be able to travel to meet Veterans in the community and at the community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). Provides a wide range of rehabilitation and personal adjustment counseling and case management services. Provides job placement assistance is an essential service to be provided by the VRC as a part of the overall recovery process. . Maintains contact with state vocational rehabilitation agencies/offices, private employers, state and local employment offices, and VA Regional Offices. Responsible for coordinating all provider services being utilized to assure continuity of care. Develops professional partnerships and relationships with community businesses, resources, providers and other community organizations with the goal of assisting Veterans in obtaining training and employment. Coordinates with various resources to locate services and employment opportunities in the community that will be suitable for the individual participant from the standpoint of their particular needs and barriers. Works diligently with any potential employer presenting the individual as one who has skill and ability and is capable of engaging in suitable competitive employment. Markets the SE/CWT program, and strives to reduce stigma in hiring those with mental health, substance use disorders, and other needs. Provides counseling to Veterans regarding the Veteran's strengths, needs limitations, abilities and preferences, the demands and responsibilities of holding a job, and problems related to vocational training, placement and employment. Provides timely planning and coordinated actions in the delivery of needed rehabilitation services. P Provides a mechanism for combining the VA's multifaceted rehabilitation services into an integrated delivery system. Provides continual, ongoing counseling assistance to provide support and assist the Veteran in making those necessary adjustments to maintain the employment. Counseling techniques are provided to motivate Veterans and help them adjust to training or worksite. Keeps abreast of current employment opportunities, contacts with business people, job opportunity resources, placement services, and those opportunities for self-employment. Collaborates with community partners, agencies and businesses to host the annual Veteran's Employment Fair at the VA Medical Center. Receives and responds to referrals from mental health providers of potentially employable Veterans. Interviews the Veteran to identify strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, and barriers to employment. Reviews the Veteran's medical record to analyze biopsychosocial barriers and to assess the impact on motivation, adjustment to training and difficulty in employment placement. Writes an individualized rehabilitation plan with vocational goals and SMART objectives based on input from the Veteran. Completes Measurement Based Care (MBC) discussion and documentation for each Veteran assigned to caseload. Work Schedule: Full-time- 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: May be authorized on an occasional basis with supervisor approval. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation Incentives: Authorized 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: Must possess 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 Must possess 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 Must possess 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). English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Certification: Current, full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the CRCC to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling. Note: 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). Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. In addition to the basic requirements, the following grade requirements must also be met: Grade Determinations: GS-9 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. AND In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Knowledge of history, philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling. 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. Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services. Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement. 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 (GS-9) directly related to the position being filled. Experience at this level includes, but is not limited to: Providing vocational and personal adjustment counseling, case management and transferrable skills analyses to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in pursuit of their self-determined employment, educational and independent living goals. Conduct assessments through record reviews, observations and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate and document personal, vocational and educational histories. Customize evaluation of abilities, aptitudes, interests, values and preferences. Facilitate job placement for Veterans by teaching valuable job search skills, resume/application development, interview skills and basic computer skills. OR Education: Adoctoral 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 In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities, appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community. 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. 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. 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. 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. Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/133 Part II Appendix G62 Rehabilitation Counselor Qualification Standard. 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: The physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary, although the stress involved in dealing continually with persons in emotional distress and who may be uncooperative and occasionally assaultive makes this work notably more demanding than most sedentary positions. The incumbent may be expected to assume an irregular tour of duty, which may include evening hours and weekends.

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 Danville VA Medical Center 1900 East Main Street Danville, IL 61832 US
• Name: Brooke Cremonesi
• Phone: 217-499-7292
• Email: [email protected]