This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

1. Responsibilities for the effective utilization of staff, equipment, and space which includes scheduling Veterans to take maximum advantage of available Staff time. Has oversight for PM&RS budget obligations for the occupational therapy department and serves as contact for equipment requests. 2. Responsible for establishing and maintaining effective personal contacts with all sections of PM&RS, Nursing Service, referring physicians, consultants, and other medical center staff. The objective of these contacts is the development of the integrated treatment program to contribute the maximum benefit of all Veterans. 3. Exercises supervision, administrative management and direction of both professional areas in a unified Occupational Therapy service or equivalent service-level department, or administrative management and program direction of other rehabilitation-related areas as indicated and directed by the PM&RS Service Chief, to include the supervision and management of a GS-13 OT Supervisor overseeing the Waco PM&RS OT department. 4. Develops performance standards, assures program area is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements. Develops local policies and procedures relative to assigned area. 5. Professional Growth and Continuing Competency-Maintains a high level of professional competence by continuing participation in learning experiences/continuing education courses. Participates in and attends Occupational Therapy section in-services as well as hospital wide in-services. Attends mandatory in-service training as required. 6. Community Responsibility-May serve as are source person to the community, VISN, and VA nationally in matters relating to Occupational Therapy, the delivery of health care and the needs of the Veteran population. He / she participates in VISN and National calls and shares information in order to translate pertinent and best practice to rehabilitation services. 7. Evaluates patients independently. Uses standard and nonstandard methods of evaluating and interpreting a wide variety of patient physical functional levels across diverse patient populations and providing progressive treatment. 8. Directly responsible to provide Supervision to Occupational Therapy Section providers at all sites ( Temple, Waco, Austin, or CTVHCS Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) based). Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M-F 0800-1630 M-F occasional weekends as needed Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0000 EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job English Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education and/or Experience: You must meet at least one of the following requirements below: (a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR (b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR (c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. Certification/ Licensure: Certification - Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT and State Licensure - Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia 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). Grade Determinations: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have completed one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. Assignment. The supervisory OT, service care line manager or service chief is responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of an occupational therapy program or equivalent service-level department which typically consists of a multi-discipline staff and/or multiple facilities that may be separated geographically. The incumbent provides supervision of clinical and training programs, including the overall technical oversight of the OT practitioners whom they supervise. They are responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures that address focused clinical needs and the overall services provided within the section or service. They provide a Veteran/client centered environment while enhancing staff engagement. OTs at this level demonstrate a great deal of autonomy in performing responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, assigning work to employees, monitoring workload and clinical volume, reviewing work of employees to assure accuracy and validity of submissions, assuring adequate clinical staffing, imposing disciplinary measures, and monitoring clinical privileges. The OT supervisor, service care line manager or service chief serves as an advocate and resource consultant to the therapy staff and facility-at- large through communication with other departments, physicians, and external agencies. They select and monitor quality and performance measures for process improvement and patient satisfaction; obtain data from national and local databases; review and analyze various reports and complex data, complete trend analysis relating to quality improvement to ensure desired outcomes; monitors clinical service's compliance with the standards of external bodies and accrediting agencies; and recommends and assures remedial action. This level of assignment is typically located at VA medical centers or healthcare systems that are complex in nature and are affiliated with local colleges and universities. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas to use these resources to guide the program staff in providing clinically appropriate treatment interventions. (b) Skill in interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution in dealing with a diverse range of employees, team leaders, and administrators. (c) Ability to manage [resources] for a large, integrated service including not only occupational therapy, but also other focused rehabilitation, ancillary, or other health care services. (d) Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a diverse group of professional staff. (e) Ability to translate extensive rehabilitation knowledge into cogent and useful policy in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites. (f) Skill in providing clinical and administrative oversight and supervision of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs in complex facilities and/or across multiple sites. (g) Ability to collaborate with strategic planning committees at local, VISN or national levels for new ventures addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, and system reorganizations. Preferred Experience: 3+ years' experience - Serving in supervisory/leadership role. 2+ years' experience - Managing a diverse range of healthcare services, including outpatient, inpatient, CLC, or wheelchair clinics, while overseeing leave requests, telework, and coordinating schedules to ensure seamless workflow and coverage. 2+ years' experience - Employee relations and performance management, including handling performance and conduct issues, disciplinary actions, and effectively managing employee performance, productivity, and clinic utilization. 2+ years' experience - HR personnel actions, including position management, recruitment, onboarding, and clearance. 2+ years' experience - Accreditation readiness, including the ability to ensure compliance with regulatory and accrediting body requirements, including interpreting and analyzing directives and policies. Develop relevant policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). 2+ years' experience - managing wheelchair clinic or expertise in handling powered mobility devices. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II APPENDIX G14. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0631 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

Accreditation: Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website ACOTE - Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (acoteonline.org) or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

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 VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]