The Battle Creek VA Medical Center's Social Work Service is hiring a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist to serve at the Battle Creek, MI VA Medical Center and the surrounding community.

Duties

Major Duties and Responsibilities of the position include: Vocational Rehabilitation Services: The incumbent provides extensive vocational rehabilitation services to patients with a history of homelessness, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, and physical disabilities. Patients participating in CWT will present such significant impairments or disabilities that severe limitations in motivation, training, placement, and adjustment exist. T Assessment and Treatment Planning: The specialist, following CWT admission guidelines and procedures, provides a comprehensive assessment to determine appropriateness for CWT intervention, and will arrange alternative care if CWT admission is not realistic. Upon admission, the incumbent will develop a written treatment plan that is based upon individual needs, preferences, abilities, strengths spiritual/cultural preferences; and specific therapeutic interventions. The incumbent will monitor progress, revise the treatment plan as needed, and develop a discharge plan based on progress in the program. Transitional Work: The core therapeutic activity in CWT is Transitional Work (TW). It is a rehabilitation modality that bridges the gap between treatment and community integration. The incumbent utilizes the work experience and environment to promote basic employment (job readiness) skills: appearance, personal hygiene, attendance, punctuality, getting along with co-workers, acceptance of supervision, productivity, quality of work, ability to work independently, and the ability to resolve on-the-job problems. The specialist will evaluate individual performance, review progress, and development strategies for improvement. Counseling: The incumbent will provide individual and group counseling that addresses work adjustment issues, vocational development and assessment, adjustment to disability, barriers to rehabilitation, substance abuse, job seeking and job survival, employment and career planning, life management, follow-up care following graduation, and other issues identified as part of the rehabilitation process. Case Management: The specialist utilizes case management procedures to provide rehabilitation services. Coordination and integration of identified health care services requires the specialist to be aware of the unique and complex needs of the patient. . Aftercare and Follow-up: The specialist will provide aftercare and follow-up services to CWT graduates to ensure continuous support in adjusting to success, and handling the full range of social, living, personal, financial, and vocational issues. Rehabilitation Systems: The incumbent keeps abreast of current rehabilitation methodology, counseling techniques, and related professional literature and participates in continuing professional education. Provides in-service training for Mental Health staff, and presents educational lectures to other Mental Health programs. Maintains current occupational/career information such as career development, occupational trends, work-site modifications, educational and job training sites in the community. Consultation: Will provide consultation services required by patients referred to CWT. The specialist will conduct the initial assessment, determine required assistance, inform referral source of findings, and develop a plan of action. Documentation: The specialist will complete all required documents (electronically or hard copy): admission assessments, efficiency reviews, treatment plans, progress notes, discharge summaries, exit surveys, correspondence, and other necessary forms or documents. Professional Relationships/Responsibility Establishes and maintains close relationships with community employers, members of interdisciplinary team, physicians, vocational rehabilitation counselors, therapists, social workers, and other care providers Develop relationships with employers, becomes familiar with employers in the community who are hiring, and incorporate opportunities for Veterans. Establishes and maintains close relationships with community based providers. Knowledge, competency, and sensitivity to age related and cultural issues of Veteran patients. Performs other related duties as assigned Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Mon-Friday 8:00a-4:30p Compressed/Flexible: Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/08/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: conducting cognitive and skills inventories in relation to employment; drafting treatment plans and case management for at risk members of the community; coaching and counseling in relation to job readiness skills; coordination of complex health care needs for at risk populations; research, comprehension and application of current rehabilitation methodologies, counseling techniques. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education . License: Applicants to this position must possess a current, valid driver's license You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical ReasoningClinical Data Collection/DocumentationComplianceInterventionTechnical Competence Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. The work usually takes place outside of the Medical Center. It will occur away from the Center and in the community (i.e. job sites, transitional housing, agencies, business, etc.) Incumbent will be at the Medical Center for meetings with the supervisor, VRS staff, interdisciplinary team meetings and when performing assessments and administrative functions. Requires no exposure to blood borne pathogens, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree

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 Battle Creek VA Medical Center 5500 Armstrong Road Battle Creek, MI 49037 US
• Name: Alexander Phillips
• Phone: 317-681-4780
• Email: [email protected]