The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (BRS) is responsible for providing a full range of blind rehabilitation therapies to Veterans and service members via Blind Rehabilitation Telehealth and within the Southwestern Blind Rehabilitation Center (SWBRC) at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), in Tucson, AZ. The BRS reports to the SWBRC Supervisor who reports to the Assistant Chief in the area of work assignment, aligned under the Chief of Blind Rehabilitation Service.

Duties

**This position has an approved Relocation Incentive available to highly qualified candidates** The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist position located in the Southwestern Blind Rehabilitation Center (SWBRC) provides care and services to enhance the quality of life for individuals with vision loss through participation in a comprehensive and individualized rehabilitation program, so they may successfully reintegrate back into their community and family environments. Duties may include, but are not limited to the following: Evaluating and assessing needs, capabilities and limitations, goal setting and prescribing a treatment plan for individuals experiencing blindness/visual impairment caused by injury or disease. Works as part of the inpatient rehabilitation team coordinating care for blind and visually impaired Veterans. Maintains close communication with all other members of the interdisciplinary SWBRC staff, including optometry, psychology, social work, recreation, and nursing, to ensure the needs and goals of the Veteran are being met. Independent evaluation, treatment, and management of a blind and vision rehabilitation program of instruction that teaches Veterans with visual impairments to utilize adaptive skills and techniques necessary to cope with the demands of everyday life. Use diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and instrumentation to identify and resolve or minimize these problems. Identify the difficulties confronting the Veteran and the barriers to treatment and then develop and provide intervention designed to enhance the blind and vision rehabilitation process. Develops an individualized treatment plan in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team to improve the quality of life for blind and visually impaired Veterans through the development of skills and capabilities needed for personal independence, emotional stability and the successful integration into community, family, and environment. Serves as a subject matter expert for other medical and allied health staff by providing counseling to healthcare providers and professionals on the nature of visual impairment and blind and vision rehabilitation. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation Incentives: Authorized to highly qualified candidates 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Education: 1. 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, 2. 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: 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). One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 -18 semester hours). 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. 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. 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). Preferred Experience/Certification: Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS®) Grade Determination: GS-09 Experience. Bachelor's degree and completion of one year of experience. OR, Education. Completion of at least two full years of progressive graduate education or a master's degree in a field directly related to the position. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the education and experience above the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge of policies and procedures of the blind/vision rehabilitation service. Knowledge of administration and interpretation of assessments and evaluations in blind/vision rehabilitation. Ability to develop a basic written blind/vision rehabilitation plan from assessment results and develop more complex plans with consultation from supervisor. Skill in instructing [Veterans] and families in a meaningful rehabilitation program and applying blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic techniques. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision prosthetic devices for Veterans within the scope of practice. Ability to serve as team coordinator for assigned Veterans during their rehabilitation programs. Assignment. Individuals at this grade level serve as [entry level] staff BRSs. They are responsible for intake, assessment, planning for rehabilitation, intervention, and follow-up in the content specialties. They receive guidance from experienced staff members for the most complex [Veteran cases.] Grade Determination: GS-11 Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade. OR, Education. Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree; or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly related field. Certification: Required at the GS-11 grade level and above. 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. BRS who provide the following service must obtain certification granted by ACVREP as follows: Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS®) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation. Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions. Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable, measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes. Skill in instructional methods and learning principles. Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within scope of practice, making adaptations and modifications as required. Assignment: Staff BRS in addition to providing services to Veterans described at the GS-9 grade level, individuals at this level have duties that typically include the following: serving as a consultant to blind/low vision rehabilitation and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating Veterans in the specialty area; serving as a mentor to other therapists who are evaluating and treating Veterans in the content specialty or program area; serving as internship supervisor to students who are completing their supervised practice; and providing in-service and clinical training programs in the content specialty or program area. References: VHA Directive 1174 and VA Handbook 5005-48, Part Il, Appendix G 41, Blind Rehabilitation Specialist Qualification Standard GS-601 Veterans Health Administration. 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-09 to GS-11.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Tucson VA Medical Center 3601 South Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ 85723 US
• Name: TJ Rizzuti
• Phone: (520) 649-0207
• Email: [email protected]