Job opening: Chaplain
Salary: $94 199 - 122 459 per year
Published at: Nov 06 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is located in the Martinsburg VAMC and serves as a professional Chaplain and performs clinical assignments for the VHA by providing comprehensive religious pastoral care to Veterans, caregivers, and/or staff.
Duties
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.
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.
Provides pastoral ministry to patients with respect to their patient's faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises.
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- Friday 8:00am- 4:30 pm
Telework: Available ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Qualifications
All Chaplains must meet the following basic requirements:
EDUCATION: 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) (https://www.chea.org/) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) (https://www.ats.edu/) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree may meet this requirement with 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 a 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.
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. https://acpe.edu/
ENDORSEMENT: Applicants must possess a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. A complete list of Ecclesiastical Organizations that the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes as Ecclesiastical Endorsing Organizations is available here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Ecclesiastical_Endorsement.asp (Note: Current VA Chaplains do not need to get updated endorsements after they are hired.)
CERTIFICATION: Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain by the Board of Chaplaincy Certifications 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. https://www.apchaplains.org/bcci-site
Note: Current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chaplains who were employed in the position as of September 24, 2020 that were grandfathered are considered to have met the positive education, CPE, and certification requirements.
GS-12 Chaplain - To qualify at the GS-12 level you must also meet both of the following grade level requirements.
Specialty Certification: You must have a Specialty Certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is be directly related to the position being filled. The list of Board Certifying Chaplain Organizations and Specialty Certifying Organization is located here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp
Experience: At least year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level that is directly related to the position to be filled such as independently serving as a primary resource for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff; providing advance care planning education, information and counsel or patients and their families, providing pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters, coordinating with community organizations and engaging community resources to meet religious needs of patients. Your experience must demonstrate that you meet the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
Preferred Experience: Chaplain (Mental Health) Specialty Certification. Chaplain will be serving in The Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MHRRTP) and the Women's Health Program.
References: VA Handbook 5005/135, Part II, Appendix G-67
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.
Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting or with the incumbent using an assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others.
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 Martinsburg VA Medical Center
510 Butler Avenue
Martinsburg, WV 25405
US
- Name: Angerean Taylor
- Phone: 2157649975
- Email: [email protected]
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