The Primary Purpose of the Position is: The Occupational Therapist in this position provides clinical guidance and mentorship to OT practitioners in Mental Health practice settings. The Occupational Therapy Lead spends at least 25% or greater of their treatment time with complex, chronic, and acute diseases having co- morbid mental health diagnoses in their problem list.

Duties

As a Lead therapist of occupational therapy practitioners - he/she assists the Program Manager Supervisor in guiding, evaluating, planning, implementing effective treatment protocols. Duties include but not limited to: Clinical Functions: Patient Care Performs patient evaluation: Veterans are scheduled for evaluation considering caseload complexity and acuity of medical condition. Coordinates Veteran schedule with other interdisciplinary team members. Recognizes the appropriateness of treatment based on indications, precautions and contraindications (e.g. pharmacological) and uses professional judgement to initiate consultation to the appropriate provider. Evaluations reflect the complexity through Occupational profile and client history; Assessments of occupational performance; Clinical decision-making and development of patient centered plan of care. This includes complex, chronic, and acute disease patient cases including but not limited to Serious Mental Illnesses (ex. Severe cases of depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder), PTSD, Impulse Control and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, Anti-Social Personality Disorders, and Substance Use Disorders. Additionally, disorders that affect sensory and perceptual alterations, cognitive deficits, central nervous system disorders, joint diseases, circulatory and pulmonary diseases, diabetes mellitus., OEF/OIF/OND and other war era related conditions, altered thought processes and multisystem disease combinations patients, male and female, ages ranging from adult t0 geriatric, having a variety of disabilities. Treatment Implementation: Evaluation findings are used to develop and implement comprehensive patient treatment plans including objective, measurable goals and timeliness for completion. These goals are developed in collaboration with the patient, family and/or stakeholder input. Implements complex and innovative therapeutic techniques not limited to: Therapeutic media, lifestyle coping skills and modifications, complementary and alternative modalities (CAM), cognitive therapy and mobility training to maintain or achieve veteran's physical and/or emotional rehabilitation potential. Demonstrates a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. Demonstrates a full professional understanding of selective therapeutic techniques and modalities related to the patient population being treated. Serves as a resource to less experienced therapists. Lead Therapist Functions: Manages and coordinates schedules and programs determined by patient caseload and staff. Coordinates patient care when a therapist is absent to ensure adequate patient care coverage. Adapts schedules, assigns, and/or provides coverage to meet unscheduled treatments when situation arises. Monitors and triages consult actions and encounters to identify delinquencies and compliance. Assigns patient caseload to self and staff. Adheres to consult compliance established guidelines. Knowledgeable of admission criteria for each program (inpatient/outpatient) for appropriate continuum of care placement. Identifies, collects and analyzes appropriate patient care information to provide a data base to support Performance Improvement projects related to assigned clinic and/or specialty area. Monitors clinic availability and open slots to ensure maximum clinic utilization. Provides orientation to new staff and students to assigned clinics; clinical oversight of inpatient and outpatient clinic staff therapists; serves as liaison between staff therapists, interdisciplinary team leadership and Coordinators/Program Manager. Knowledgeable with purchasing and inventory processing for ordering of supplies and equipment needed for service area. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m. Occasional Saturdays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy). Education and/or Experience. The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: 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 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. Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements above if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix. 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. English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Lead Occupational Therapist - GS13 Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the (GS-12 grade) level. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice. (b) Ability to apply advanced occupational therapy knowledge to provide clinical guidance and mentorship to OT practitioners. (c) Ability to independently monitor and evaluate clinically appropriate treatment programs. (d) Ability to act as a liaison between OT practitioners and the supervisor by coordinating clinical activities, program development, outcome management, and strategic planning. (e) Ability to assess, prioritize, and address interpersonal or programmatic conflicts at the lowest possible level. (f) Ability to implement, revise and update evidence based protocols, procedures and approved competencies for occupational therapy services. Assignment. Lead OTs provide professional guidance and consultation for OT practitioners. They monitor and evaluate clinically appropriate treatment programs with great autonomy. Individuals assigned as a lead OT are responsible for completing complex evaluations and treatments. They are required to apply advanced evaluation methodologies and treatment theories in the provision of care to a vast array of functional impairments and patients. They provide clinical practice guidance for other OT practitioners. Lead OTs collaborate with staff throughout the medical center to coordinate care and triage operations for their assignment. Lead OTs generally would be found in more complex facilities or departments. Preferred Experience: Up to 2+ years' prior experience in mental health setting with direct patient care Knowledge and experience with substance abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, cognitive functional behaviors, and sensory modulation and defensiveness. Therapeutic and clinical experience with adult and older adult population. Experience in performing Occupational Therapy in both individualized and group settings. References: VA Handbook 5005/127 PART II APPENDIX G14, Dated December 13, 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying, 15-44 pounds; Straight pulling (2 hours) Pulling hand over hand (2 hours); Pushing (2 hours); Reaching above shoulders; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking and Standing (4 hours); Crawling (1 hour); Kneeling (2 hours); Repeated bending (6 hours); Climbing, legs only (2 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Both eyes required; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Twisting 4 hours; Simple Grasping/Pinch (6 hours), an Fine Manipulation-keyboarding (4 hours).

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.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: If your school was accredited by Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed on the: Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)

Contacts

• Address Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]