The incumbent is responsible for developing, organizing and administering Recreation Therapy programs and providing therapeutic treatment to patients within the North Texas VA Healthcare System. The work involves applying various recreational activities to improve, restore, or maintain the physical, psychological, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning of individuals. The Recreation Therapists help patients to develop the skills needed for functional independence.

Duties

Evaluates the assigned patients' mental, emotional, social, and physical capabilities to determine the patients' needs in Recreation Therapy. Uses effective interviewing techniques to obtain objective and factual information pertaining to the veteran's interests and aptitudes. Observes the patient during trial assignments to confirm initial assessment. Develops intermediate and long-term goals and objectives with each patient in his/her assigned program. Coordinates the overall treatment plan with the treatment team and patient's family/caregiver to provide a program that focuses on treatment goals. Serves as a member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team recommending treatment objectives. Plans routine recreation therapy activities to meet treatment objectives. Provides the equipment, materials, instruction, encouragement, or counseling necessary to promote a positive and therapeutic activity. Provides recreation/education to explore interests and attitudes with respect to leisure, recreation, and social relationships to enable the patient to identify, locate and utilize recreation resources in the community. Keeps abreast of developments in the therapeutic recreation field and incorporates new techniques into patient treatment. Inputs data into medical center computerized patient records system (CPRS) and updates as needed to reflect status of patients. Programs, organizes, conducts, and evaluates a diversified and comprehensive therapeutic recreation program to meet the needs, capabilities, and limitations of patients assigned. Evaluates each patient's physical and emotional needs, recreation skills, interests, and deficiencies in relation to the various possible recreation therapy modalities. Reports either orally or by progress note, information regarding treatment response, problems, adaptation to activities, behavioral changes and/or unusual developments to members of the patient treatment team units. Maintains contact with a wide variety of management personnel, community and civic organizations, volunteer groups, school officials, and others in addition to program participants. Prepares and submits initial, follow-up and discharge notes in accordance with service and other appropriate policies, i.e. Joint Commission/CARF, etc. Provides direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients and require only general supervision. Performs patient evaluations and treatment procedures independently on patients with various complex diagnoses and disabilities. Develop, organize, and administer recreational therapy programs to provide therapeutic interventions to patients on various programs. Performs documentation of patient care, including comprehensive assessments/evaluations or assessment screens, individualized progress notes indicating progress, or lack of, toward treatment goals, encounters, consultations, care plans, and other reports as needed. Effectively communicate and educate, as required, regarding treatment interventions and goals and any consideration involving adaptations to ensure optimal treatment outcomes. Conducts comprehensive evaluations for all-patients upon the first visit. Conduct individual and group sessions as appropriate by the therapist. Document discharge planning for all patients. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Nights/Weekends/Holidays May be included Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: 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. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. The private organization must deem such education at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Required 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. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grandfathering Provisions: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). All persons employed in VHA as a recreation or creative arts therapist, on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance (Journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level, or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who were appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration/certification, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) Recreation and creative arts therapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements, in effect at the time of reentry, as a recreation or creative arts therapist. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: 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, 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of assessment tools and treatment for the diagnosis or disability of the patient. Knowledge to interpret and apply all health and safety regulations, to minimize and mitigate risks in the provisions of patient care, and environmental maintenance Ability to effectively communicate and educate patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the treatment process. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. 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. 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. 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. Skill in independently applying evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. Knowledge of the principles and techniques in recreation therapy assessment and the treatment of recreation, leisure, and biopsychosocial functional deficits. Preferred Experience: Recreation Therapist CTRS credential 2+ years of experience Behaviorial Health experience preferred Experience in community inclusion services/relations Large group facilitation Experience in implementation of Whole Health interventions/Adaptive Sports References: VA Handbook 5005/111 PART II APPENDIX G60 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 of GS-07 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: In some assignments the work involves regular and recurring physical exertion such as prolonged walking or standing, bending, moderately heavy lifting or moving of equipment, positioning severely disabled patients and assisting patients in ambulation. The work requires specific, common physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity, as well as skill and ability in one or more art forms. Patient Safety Competency Statement: The incumbent will be responsible for promoting a culture of safety and will fully cooperate in efforts to improve patient safety and eradicate potential events including the reporting of events resulting in actual or potential injury to a patient. Incumbent must demonstrate knowledge of the reporting procedures involving safety issues relating to patients.

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 Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: Gerald Coleman
• Phone: 205-929-7957
• Email: [email protected]