The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS)/ Supported Employment (SE) Mentor/Trainer is assigned to the Therapeutic Supported Employment Services/ Compensated Work Therapy Program (TSES/CWT), which is located in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Section (PSRR) of Mental Health Services in the VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (ECHCS). Provides a wide range of vocational services to veteran patients with disabilities of varying type and severity.

Duties

Duties, but not limited to: Clinical Responsibilities: Receives and responds in a timely manner to referrals of veterans who are interested in vocational rehabilitation services. Performs initial vocational assessments examining work history, previous education and training, sources of income, transportation issues, disabling conditions, vocational needs and goals, and other factors. Assesses veterans' vocational functioning on an ongoing basis, while services are being provided. Develops individualized VAP based on patients' strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, desired outcomes, other factors identified in the assessment process. Incorporates this with current information on training and employment opportunities. Updates recovery plan when scheduled or needed. Program Development: Maintains awareness of the program's development. Initiates contacts with local businesses and governmental agencies that provide work opportunities for veterans. Keeps up-to-date on the local job market. Mentor Trainers are skilled in developing relationships with employers and have job development skills. Keeps alert for job and small business opportunities. Maintains periodic contacts with potential employers, placement personnel and other vocational resources. Engages in travel outside the medical center to meet with employers, representatives of community agencies, and veterans participating in vocational training or employment. Maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and skills through participation in appropriate training and continuing education activities. Mentor Trainer must have completed specialized training in Evidence-based Supported Employment and Motivational Interviewing Techniques. Carries out duties in conformity to applicable Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and Joint Commission (JC) standards. The Mentor Trainer must demonstrate organizational skills and the ability to manage competing demands. The Mentor Trainer is able to complete written reports in a timely manner as assessed by the MT's supervisor. The Mentor Trainer must demonstrate consultative and coaching/listening skills. The Mentor Trainer must have knowledge of psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery principles with a demonstrated understanding of the role work plays in recovery. The incumbent assists lower graded specialists in handling the most difficult placement cases. These cases may demand considerable professional skill, ingenuity and persuasiveness on the part of the specialist to overcome the client's limitations or lack of motivation. Develops strategies to engage clients who may be reluctant to actively pursue employment or risk a reduction of benefits. Training Design and Execution: The incumbent will be responsible for the organization, planning and implementation of the SE best practice training for VISN-19 TSES/CWT/SE programs. Helps managers across VISN learn SE principles and practices and how to support and enhance training for both new and existing staff, including education about ongoing supervision techniques and best practices. Provides consultation services to staff, program planning and evaluation, including research and development of new concepts and techniques. The Mentor Trainer is encouraged to complete a formal course in project management or quality improvement at the supervisor's discretion. He/she assesses SE initiative training requirements to meet the training objectives and specific needs of each CWT/SE program. Coordinates with program managers and staff about the various resources needed to set up training programs. The Mentor Trainer has effective problem-solving skills and is able to assist others in creating effective improvement strategies throughout the VISN with attainable goals as assessed by the Mentor Trainer supervisor. The Mentor Trainer is able to develop, implement and facilitate quality improvement plans as assessed by the Mentor Trainer supervisor. The Mentor Trainer must effectively teach the principles and practices of Evidence-based SE throughout the VISN sites. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (Mentor/Trainer)/PD11329O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/06/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement GS-11: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position OR, Specialized Experience: Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. In addition to the meeting Individual Occupational Requirement above you must also meet the Specialized Experience or the Education below. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade Gs-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performs vocational assessments/ plans services related to strengths, needs, abilities and personal desires of the Veteran; Works closely with interdisciplinary teams to identify and address barriers to employment. Identifies psychosocial needs of the Veteran; Documents all interactions, assessments and plans within the electronic medical record system. Accurately documents time spent with Veteran (face to face/ video conference/ phone contact); Provides rehabilitation counseling and guidance which facilitates the Veteran's adjustment to the work environment and other adjustments needed in order to be successful in the VR Services program; Spend time in the community working directly with employers and community agencies. Maintain day to day contact with potential employers/ placement personnel/ other likely placement resources OR, EDUCATION: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling or other fields related to the position OR a LL.M. (if related). (Transcripts Required) OR, COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate education directly related to the work of the position and specialized experience, as outlined above. (Transcripts Required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Critical ThinkingInterpersonal EffectivenessManages and Organizes InformationPsychologyTeaching OthersTechnical CompetenceTherapy and Counseling Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position are sedentary to light. In addition to performing work in office settings, the position requires that the employee visit patients at TSES/CWT worksites around the Medical Center and in the community. The driving of government vehicles on station and in the community, is required. Longer distance travel for the purpose of site visits and training throughout the VISN will be required. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office, in a medical center setting or in a community setting. Emphasis will be on dealing with Veterans, employers, contacts in the community and other TSES/CWT/SE programs throughout the VISN. Travel may periodically be required to these sites to insure proper SE implementation. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts associated with traveling in the community or working in an office environment. There may be occasional risk of harm from a violent patient, which requires special precautions and training to deal with. Specialist must use a government vehicle to transport Veterans to work sites, community resources, etc. and must have a valid driver's license. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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 Eastern Colorado HCS Denver 13611 E. Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80045 US
• Name: Melissa Rodriguez
• Phone: 702-791-9000 X15984
• Email: [email protected]