The Recreation Therapist Program Coordinator is located at the San Antonio VHA within the Recreation Therapy service. The Recreation Therapist Program Coordinator responsibilities are to provide administrative support and leadership for the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (Paws).

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following: Must have advanced knowledge of APIE process. Travel to community locations for reintegration outings on occasion is possible. Must have current driver's license Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology Advanced knowledge and experience with assessment, evaluation and treatment planning. Advanced knowledge of computerized patient medical record. Provide VA staff and community training on the PAWS Portal Oversee program implementation and project management, and ensure that data and reports are provided in a timely manner. Assist the National PAWS Program Coordinator to make sure that the facility is executing the PAWS Act by providing administrative oversight for the programming and daily operations of the program Expected to demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills, judgement, and professional competency Responsible for daily program operations, developing policies and procedures, coordinating clinical assignments, and preparing reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use Applies advanced specialized clinical skills to medically and mentally complex patients with a wide range of impairments and acuity level. Serves as a consultant to treatment teams as a subject matter expert in providing technical advice on specialized unique interventions addressing co-morbidities including but not limited to pain program, blind rehabilitation; polytrauma; dementia care; PTSD; amputee; addictions; or the seriously mentally ill. Adheres with Medical Center and service policies. Utilizes computerized patient record system in accordance with established procedures. Adheres to Medical Center Privacy and Information Security policy. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00 pm, some nights, weekends and holidays as needed Telework: AdHoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:000000 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, 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. Certification. Must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 3b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: GS 12 Recreation Therapist Program Coordinator 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: Knowledge of management/administration principles, procedures, and practice, which includes supervision, consultation, negotiation, mediation, and monitoring. Ability to analyze clinically appropriate data and make recommendations to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within services. Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties when authorized, which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; competency assessments; performance evaluations; selection of staff; recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions when appropriate. Ability to monitor and report on the status and progress of work, evaluate program quality to ensure that methods, deadlines, and standards have been met, and prioritize the workload. Ability to effectively communicate goals, objectives, and focused initiatives to an interdisciplinary team, specialized clinical program, or subsection, as well as guide the team members on work methods, practices, standards, and procedures. Knowledge of regulatory requirements, interdisciplinary structure, and organizational structure to serve as a liaison between specialty care and other programs that would affect coordination of care, healthcare access, program evaluation, assessment, and planning future needs. Skill in employing recognized leadership and managerial methods and strategies, including interpersonal relations and conflict resolution in the management of employees, team leaders, and managers. Preferred Experience: 1+ years leadership or supervisory experience within Recreation Therapy. 3+ years of experience working with various populations, including geriatric, physical rehab and mental health, functioning in a recreation therapist role. 1+ years of experience functioning as a Recreation Therapist with PTSD population. Ability to organize work and function independently - Articulate examples of experiences of staying organized and working independently. Ability to analyze organizational and operation problems to develop solutions - Identify examples of problems identified and proposed solutions. References: VA Handbook 5005/111 PART II APPENDIX G60 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

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.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. If your school was accredited by National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the NCTRC website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Accreditation Information: The degree must be fully approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Verification of approval may be made obtained from NCTRC.

Contacts

• Address Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]