This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service (CS). The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliaries throughout the United States. Most Chaplain services are usually provided in a medical facility structure.

Duties

The incumbent serves as a Chaplain Clinical Pastoral Educator (CPE) performing senior-level clinical assignments for the VHA. The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. The incumbent addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services. Duties may include, but not limited to: Serves as a certified Chaplain (CPE) providing comprehensive, religious ministry services and training to Veteran patients and students according to their specific needs. Manages the daily operations of the CPE Center and develops and implements program policies and procedures. Serves as a certified educator of record for all CPE students for an assigned designated area. Provides administrative oversight and programmatic resources and monitors educational outcomes. Maintains records for all educator evaluations, student records, center portfolio, and CPE accreditation requirements, which may include off-site CPE satellite and placement contracts. Ensures all documentation is completed for compliance. Develops educational curricula that are measurable, outcome-oriented, and evidence-based and designed to meet board certification competencies. Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and/or spiritual issues. Uses outcome evaluations to improve educational services and to design education system changes. Seeks best practices, primary research, and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice. Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services. Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff through educational means. Ensures various complex educational training assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups. Maintains effective rapport with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved with the IDT. Engages in group consultative discussions or conferences with treatment professionals to provide senior-level Chaplain related input. Collaborates with IDT on the evaluation and review of VHA's CPE Center program progress. Provides guidance and support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. Provides specialized consultation, teaching, and mentoring to healthcare staff and trainees on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area. Provides guidance and religious instruction to students, individuals, and groups. Conducts and arranges for religious worship services in chapels and at other locations for patients that are unable to attend regular chapel services. Coordinates with community organizations to provide spiritual care and educational outreach, e.g., interested community organizations, local clubs, church groups, special agencies, business organizations, and other stakeholders to sustain the necessary links with the outside community. Completes various complex Chaplain related administrative assignments, projects, and reports; and independently develops and implements programs and curricula. Uses knowledge of diverse conceptual frameworks to develop an educational curriculum for VHA students. Provides guidance and support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. Maintains records and appropriately documents chaplaincy care services in the Electronic Health Record Management (EHRM) system/Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) through either service approved template or Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) note format. Uses effective written communication skills to articulate professional and cohesive information. Effectively adheres to all accreditation standards, processes, and practices to promptly submit all required program reports, center portfolio, or other pertinent documents. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Ad-hoc; at discretion of Supervisor Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized for highly qualified applicants. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Applicants must possess a 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) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education? 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. Ecclesiastical Endorsement: In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Board Certification: Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification 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 ®. Grade Determinations: Minimum Qualifications for Chaplain (CPE Educator) GS-12: In addition to the basic requirements, you must also meet the following requirements: Experience: At this level, the candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that is directly related to the position to be filled. Certification: To provide educational supervision for CPE Level 1 and Level 2 students, the Chaplain CPE Educator must be a Certified Educator certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. To provide educational supervision for students seeking to become Certified Educators, the Chaplain CPE Educator must be a CPE national faculty from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to independently educate all levels of CPE students and plan, organize, and implement all levels of the CPE program. Skill in adhering to all accreditation standards, processes and practices including, but not limited to, timely and professional submission of all required program reports, center portfolio, fees and dues. Skill in written and verbal communication that are articulate, professional and cohesive. Ability to recruit, interview and select students for the CPE program. Knowledge of professional ethics for certified educators and history of CPE. Ability to apply theoretical understanding for and competence in administering and conducting all levels of CPE programs. Knowledge of emerging trends and research in the area of pastoral education. Knowledge of diverse conceptual frameworks for developing educational curriculum. Assignments: For all assignments above the journey level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The certified educator manages the daily operations of the CPE center, develops and implements program policies and procedures and serves as certified educators of record for all CPE students. They are responsible for administrative oversight and programmatic resources and monitoring of educational outcomes. They are responsible for all educator evaluations, student records, center portfolio and CPE accreditation requirements, which may include off-site CPE satellites and placement contracts. The certified educator seeks approval for allied health trainee positions through the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). They recruit, interview and select students, and ensure all documentation is completed for compliance. They develop educational curricula that are measurable, outcome-oriented and evidence-based and designed to meet board certification competencies. They develop relationships with key staff related to the CPE program, e.g., clinical preceptors, Advisory Group members, OAA staff. Preferred Experience: CPE Educator Experience, accreditation required through ACPE-Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. References: VA Handbook 5005/135 Part II Appendix G67 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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Christina Trull
• Phone: 828-318-6521
• Email: [email protected]