The incumbent is a supervisor of Blind Rehabilitation Services at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare Care System (MVAHCS). Supervisory responsibility will include Blind Rehabilitation Services staff, as well as additional therapy staff as determined by program and department needs. Programs assigned to the incumbent may change as the needs of the department and programs grow. This is a full time position which includes up to 25% direct clinical care.

Duties

The incumbent offers clinical support, advocates for program positions and roles, and provides guidance for the BRS and therapy staff located within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) service and Rehabilitation and Extended Care Integrated Clinical Community (REC ICC). The incumbent also is available for inquiries from stakeholders regarding BRS and therapy services within the hospital and MVAHCS. The incumbent will demonstrate advanced and contemporary knowledge across multiple areas of practice and demonstrate the ability to apply this knowledge to provide clinical guidance. The incumbent will hold staff accountable to performance standards while anticipating needs for future therapy developments. The incumbent will work collaboratively with discipline supervisors and Chiefs in managing assignments, monitoring clinical duties/volume, managing program outcomes, and providing clinical support for both inpatient and outpatient services. The incumbent is responsible for strategic planning and initiatives within PM&R/REC ICC and concurrent with discipline Chiefs. The incumbent will perform assignments including supervision, disciplinary action, management of staff leave, key clinical training, technical oversight, mentorship of staff, development of clinical programming, and implementation of policies/procedures. The incumbent follows established protocols, ethical standards, and guidelines for all staff. The incumbent will demonstrate discretion, flexibility, initiative, excellent problem-solving skills, conflict resolution, effective interpersonal skills and sound professional judgement to ensure timely and effective BRS and other therapy services. The incumbent works autonomously to manage administrative responsibilities and meet multiple deadlines. In addition, the incumbent will exhibit knowledge of human resources administration, complete performance appraisals, maintain effective labor management relations within the scope of responsibility for full performance staff members. The incumbent is responsible for other duties as assigned including but not limited to management of the equipment inventory list (EIL) within the department, facilitating work groups, serving on committees, work groups and other efforts to meet departmental/facility mission, and standards of care as identified by CARF and/or, Joint Commission or other accrediting bodies. Additional duties and responsibilities are consistent with usual clinic operations and medical center expectations such as providing coverage across disciplines for supervision and administration. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; days. Telework: Ad hoc telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS a. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. b. Education (1) The individual must have earned: (a) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, closely related program in rehabilitation, special education for the visually impaired, family and consumer science education, or technology and industrial arts education. OR, (b) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included, or was supplemented by, at least one of the following: i. At least 30 semester hours of directly related, upper level undergraduate courses (e.g., at least 200-course level or higher, or as identified by the college or university). ii. One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 -18 semester hours). iii. A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree. iv. Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in blind rehabilitation. c. Certification. Required at the GS-11 grade level and above. (1) Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), or another equivalent, closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation. NOTE: The ACVREP administers four certification programs: Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Assistive Technology Instruction and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. They may then use the designation for the certification they hold (as listed in subparagraph (2)) below: (2) BRS who provide the following service must obtain certification granted by ACVREP as follows: (a) Orientation and mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS®). (b) Communication and daily living therapy - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT®). (c) Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT®). (d) Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS®). (3) BRS Advanced Practitioners at the GS-13 grade level must possess two certifications awarded by ACVREP. (4) BRS VIST Coordinators may be drawn from traditional blind/vision rehabilitation backgrounds, and from counseling backgrounds such as social work, vocational rehabilitation counseling, etc. VIST Coordinators must be credentialed/certified through: (a) Any certification via the ACVREP, OR, (b) Individuals appointed based on experience as a Social Worker must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator, Social Workers are appointed to the GS-0601 series, but must still maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment, OR, (c) Certification via the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, (CRC), OR, (d) Individuals appointed based on experience in other health care occupations must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice in their field. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator, such individuals are appointed to the GS-0601 series, but must still maintain their full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification in their occupation to remain qualified for employment. Examples of occupations may include but are not limited to Marriage and Family Therapist or Licensed Mental Health Counselor. GRADE DETERMINATIONS GS-13 (1) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of experience as a BRS equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. (2) Certification. Candidates must meet the credentialing/certification requirements in paragraph 3c(1) and (2) above. VIST Coordinators must meet the certification requirements in 3c(3) above. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: (a) Ability to balance responsibilities and work with great autonomy. (b) Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions. (c) Ability to analyze and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the section, and to develop and administer systematic internal reviews to ensure conformance with local and national policies as well as accreditation standards. (d) Ability to provide technical expertise, supervise, motivate, and effectively manage a diverse clinical staff. (e) Skill in assessing qualifications and abilities of current and prospective employees. (f) Ability to develop productivity standards applicable to a blind rehabilitation center or equivalent clinical program. (g) Ability to adapt to new and changing work conditions, staffing, and contingencies.

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 Minneapolis VA Medical Center One Veterans Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 US
• Name: Timothy Michael
• Phone: 612-467-5503
• Email: [email protected]