The Creative Art Therapist (Art) position is with the Recreation Therapy Service located at the Hudson Valley Health Care System, a facility involving 2 campuses and 7 outpatient clinics, whose purpose is to provide care and rehabilitation to those Veterans with a variety of disabilities. This is an Open Continuous Announcement (OCA) and may be extended or closed as needed. QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED AND REFERRED AS VACANCIES BECOME AVAILABLE.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Conduct, analyze, interpret , and report assessment data across functional domains, e.g. behavioral, cognitive, communicative, emotional/affective, physical, sensory, and social as well as art knowledge, skills, and abilities. Develops and implements individualized art therapy treatment plans to include scope, duration, and frequency of treatment. Developing art therapy programs, interventions, and instructional programs; typical and atypical materials and resources appropriate to patient needs, skills, and aptitudes. Plan, organize, implement, and evaluate public relations for the program to inform and educate others about art therapy Review recreation therapy consults and conduct comprehensive evaluations. Based upon the assessment data and in collaboration with other stakeholders, the therapist develops individualized treatment plans with measurable therapeutic goals and objectives including scope, duration and treatment. Recommends adaptation, modification, and/or assistive technology to meet the assessed needs and preferences in recreation therapy. Through the use of activity/task· analysis, behavioral interventions, and therapeutic procedures they design individualized treatment interventions to reduce stress, anxiety and maladaptive behaviors, recover basic motor functioning, reasoning abilities, build confidence, and develop compensatory strategies to master critical life skills necessary to re-enter the community in a productive manner. Sophisticated techniques/strategies used to improve or support clinical outcomes may include but are not limited to: develop positive patterns of behavior; relaxation and stress reduction; lifestyle alteration; social skills training; develop self-esteem; reinforce positive relationships; motor learning and training strategies; anger and pain management; identify risks; recovery support; lifestyle adjustment; conflict/problem resolution; adjustment to disability, including coping with grief and loss. Exercises resourcefulness in providing individualized, unique effective methods and procedures when implementing therapeutic interventions including but not limited to: assistive technology; cognitive behavioral skills; aquatic therapy; fitness and wellness; adapted sports and leisure development, community accessibility/reintegration/transition. Evaluates patient needs for additional, alternative, or termination of services and monitor effectiveness of intervention plans and makes modifications, as needed. Determines effectiveness of protocols, modalities and programs for targeted groups through quantitative analysis and identifies potential risks and need for adaptive interventions with cases to facilitate improved bio-psychosocial well-being. Participates in co­treatment opportunities including but not limited to: neurological rehabilitation; mental health recovery programs; and palliative care related to the symptoms of a terminal illness. Conducts discharge analysis for community needs. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 20 hours a week, with varied days, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 49590F 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. English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education. The following education requirements apply to the Creative Arts Therapist (Art): A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy approved by the American Art Therapy Association on or before June 30, 2016. If the degree is received after June 30, 2016, a master's degree or higher from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy, must be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Art Therapy Education: a committee of the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Education Program. OR A master's degree in a related field, plus graduate coursework and supervised field experience in art therapy. Acceptable related fields include: Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, and Psychiatry, AND must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board. If hired under this education, the registration cannot be waived. Registration. Creative Arts Therapy (Art). Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 3b(2)(b), registration cannot be waived. 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 Requirements: Creditable Experience. Knowledge of Current Professional Recreation Therapy or Creative Arts Therapy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities (also referred to as "clinical competencies") associated with current professional recreation or creative arts therapy practices. Evidence of such experience includes private practice, U.S. military services, local/state/federal government organizations, for profit/non-profit organizations, health care, or educational facilities Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to the next lower grade level. Experience satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which may be paid or non-paid employment 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: Creative Arts Therapist (Art), GS-9 Experience/Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees at this level serve in an entry level position as creative arts therapist (art). Employees have knowledge of their respective discipline and work with direct supervision and guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff. Established treatment procedures are substantially adapted and applied for patients who are acutely ill. Therapists at this level may be given general assignments in a program area. Creative Arts Therapist (Art), 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 identify current art resources in the community at the time of assessment, for discharge planning purposes. Ability to develop and implement quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety Knowledge of diagnostic coding and symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy. Knowledge of the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states. Ability to demonstrate and educate stakeholders on the value of the creative process as a therapeutic tool. Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflect a trusting, empathetic, and respectful interaction. Skill in collaborating and maintaining liaison with an interdisciplinary team and educating the treatment team on theoretical framework of art therapy interventions. Assignment. Employees at this level serve as a creative arts therapist (art) at the full performance level. They provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for complex patients only. They gather informal art-based assessment of patients' needs, aptitudes, interests, and abilities. The therapist also develops and implements individualized art therapy treatment plans, to include the scope, duration, and frequency of treatment. Treatment goals may include, but are not limited to: emotional regulation, resolving traumatic memories, active meditation, building empathy and a sense of self-worth, and identifying potential risks and the need for adaptive interventions to facilitate improved well-being. Duties may include, but are not limited to developing art therapy programs, interventions, and instructional programs, including typical and atypical materials and resources that are appropriate to the needs, skills, and aptitudes of the patient. The therapist supports engagement in, and reflection of, the art process and product, through an art therapy framework where the engagement develops specific skills attained through art making that may include increased independence, focus to task, sense of self-worth, improved coping skills, self-care, and social skills. They provide a safe environment for patients to understand the symbolic expression of their art product, process, and their experience with the materials as it relates to their recovery and wellness. References: VA Handbook 5005/111 Part II Appendix G60 Recreation and Creative Arts Therapist Qualification Standard. 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-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: The employee exercises some physical exertion when overseeing those activities, which involve bending, stooping and lifting moderately heavy items (up to 40 pounds). From time to time, there is a need to assist a physically handicapped patient (e. g. to participate in clinical programs).See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hospital 2094 Albany Post Road Montrose, NY 10548 US
• Name: Yviana Martinez
• Email: [email protected]