This assignment carries responsibility for providing recreation therapy (RT) evaluation and treatment to veteran patients according to the North Florida / South Georgia VA Health System (NF/SG VAHCS) mission and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) guidelines. The RT will provide services within the PM&R Service for the MH RRTP, as well as provide RT coverage as needed within the NF/SG VAHS catchment area .

Duties

Recreation Therapists (RTs) may practice recreation therapy in program areas such as the Housing & Urban Development - VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), Community Living Center, Hospice/Palliative Care, Short-Stay Stabilization and Rehabilitation, Substance Abuse Programs, Psycho-social programs, Acute Psychiatry, Out-Patient care programs serving veterans with various medical and mental health diagnosis, Medical Foster Home, and Home-Based Primary Care. The Recreation Therapist is assigned to administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. At the GS-7 Level, RTs are at the entry-level in a career development position progressively expanding their ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions for a wider range of human function systems and patient care needs. RTs at this level practice under the direct supervision of a recreation or creative arts therapist at or above the full-performance level or a designated supervisor in a clinical environment. Duties may include, but are not limited to: The RT has knowledge of his/her respective discipline and works with guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff to perform routine duties such as planning, developing, and implementing RT treatment programs for individual patients or groups of patients in order to help rehabilitate and remediate the effects of disease, disability, or illness and to help restore functioning at the highest level. Incumbent performs routine assessments, evaluations, and treatments in order to help prevent physical disability; promote physical, mental, and psycho-social health and well-being following the onset of an injury, illness, or disabling condition; aid in the treatment of chronic pain resulting from acute or chronic medical conditions; and foster community leisure participation at the highest functional level. At the GS-09 level, RT's serve as developmental level RTs in a career development position progressively expanding their ability to provide assessment and treatment interventions for a wider range of human function systems and patient care needs. RTs at this level practice under general supervision from higher level or supervisory staff. Duties may include, but are not limited to: The RT demonstrates knowledge of his/her respective discipline and works with guidance from higher level or supervisory staff to establish treatment procedures that are substantially adapted and applied for patients who are acutely ill. Incumbent conducts patient evaluations analyzing and interpreting leisure function, cognitive, psycho-social, and motor skill function in order to help develop individualized goals, objectives, and treatment plans of care. He/she develops and selects interventions to achieve patient goals; reviews patient progress; adapts or adjusts the treatment plan and intervention strategies; and implements therapeutic interventions that support measurable functional outcomes (interventions include, but are not limited to leisure education, reality orientation, memory, and gross motor activities). At the GS-11 level, RTs function at the full-performance level providing assessment and treatment interventions for a wide range of human function systems and patient care needs. RTs practice autonomously receiving guidance in only the most complex cases. Duties may include, but are not limited to: He/she conducts, analyzes, interprets, and reports assessment data based upon functional domains (cognitive, sensory, social, affective, physical, and leisure). Incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of services delivered, the therapist constructs evidence-based recreation therapy interventions for treating patients with complex medical or mental health issues, such as polytrauma, traumatic brain injury (TBI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spinal cord injury (SCI), substance use disorder/addictions, serious mental illness (SMI), and hospice/palliative care requirements. Incumbent provides direct patient care and receives guidance from higher-level supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients and requires only general supervision. The RT reviews recreation therapy consults and conduct comprehensive evaluations. Based upon the assessment data, and in collaboration with other stakeholders, the therapist develops individualized treatment plans with measurable therapeutic goals and objectives including scope, duration, and treatment. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Recreation Therapist - 573-05679-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States (U.S.). (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education.(a) A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation. The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) -OR- (b) A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The degree must be approved by the NCTRC. If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. Certification. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 3b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived. EXCEPTION - Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for registration and/or certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registration and/or certification during this temporary full-time appointment may be terminated. The exception only applies to positions at the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level (GS-11), the candidate must be registered and/or certified. Grade Determinations: Recreation Therapist, GS-7 Experience/Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Recreation Therapist, GS-9 Experience/Education. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level (GS-7), -OR- a Master's degree in recreation therapy may be substituted for the required one year of professional recreation therapist experience. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. a) Knowledge of assessment tools and treatment for the diagnosis or disability of the patient. b) Knowledge to interpret and apply all health and safety regulations, to minimize and mitigate risks in the provisions of patient care, and environmental maintenance. c) Ability to effectively communicate and educate patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the treatment process. d) Knowledge to apply evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. Recreation Therapist, GS-11 Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level (GS-9). Education may NOT be substituted at the full-performance level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. a) Ability to adapt assessment tools and treatment interventions to address the complexity of the diagnosis or disabilities and demonstrate the clinical reasoning necessary to identify the need for further in-depth specific assessment of function and utilization of unconventional methods and techniques. b) Knowledge to independently interpret provider referrals and consults; and apply all health and safety regulations to minimize and mitigate risks in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. c) Skill in effectively communicating and educating, in a clear and concise manner, with patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the interdisciplinary treatment process. d) Skill in independently utilizing appropriate screening and evaluation techniques required to appropriately provide direct patient care in areas such as, but not limited to recommendations for recreation therapy assistive devices, including fit and function. e) Skill in independently applying evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. f) Knowledge of the principles and techniques in recreation therapy assessment and the treatment of recreation, leisure, and biopsychosocial functional deficits. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005/111, Part II, Appendix G60, Recreation and Creative Arts Therapist Qualification Standard - GS-0638 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 from GS-7 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Recreation Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" work. Medium Work entails: exerting 20 -50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects).

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 Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US
• Name: Diana Dieringer
• Phone: 727-967-6873
• Email: [email protected]