The New Jersey VA Healthcare system, Lyons Campus is currently recruiting for 1 Creative Arts Therapist- Dance/Movement or their Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department. The Dance/Movement Therapist provides movement therapy treatment interventions incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient treatment services.

Duties

The incumbent is responsible for direct patient care; developing, organizing and administering dance/movement therapy programs/therapeutic interventions to patients on the various programs/units/neighborhoods at the VA NJHCS: Community Living Centers, palliative care, sub-acute, inpatient rehabilitation (CIIRP, EM&R}, dementia special care unit, Geri psychiatry, Medical Foster Home, Acute psychiatry, Women's Treatment, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) programs, CORE residential, residential homeless program Domiciliary, residential substance abuse program, Seriously Mentally ill unit, Psycho social Rehabilitation Recovery Centers (PRRC), inpatient and outpatient Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Visually impaired program, Fitness and Wellness Clinics, adapted sports clinic, Telehealth, Whole Health, outpatient mental health, and Polytrauma System of care, on campus and in the community. Clinical Evaluates, establishes goals based on evaluation findings, develops and facilitates treatment interventions that address physical, cognitive, social and emotional functional domains. Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course or treatment to ensure optimum outcomes. Works with diverse and complex patient populations and develops and selects appropriate dance/movement therapy programs and therapeutic interventions that are based on current literature and best practices; understands the values and meaning of dance/movement in various cultures and backgrounds. Conducts dance/movement therapy interventions that develop expression, communication, affect regulation, adaptive behaviors, and improve functioning. Develops and completes documentation of patient care including assessments, progress notes, encounters, consultations, care plans, and other reports with concise and clear clinical information as needed. Serves as Dance/Movement Therapy SME and representative on interdisciplinary teams and provides education to staff, students, patients, families and caregivers about the benefits of dance/movement therapy and treatment interventions and goals. Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflect a trusting, empathetic and respectful interaction with all patients. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of therapy services, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Plans, coordinates and directs specialized programs, such as creative arts festivals and performances, as assigned. Administration. Adheres with Medical Center policies. Utilizes Automated Data Processing (ADP)system in accordance with established procedures. Adheres to Medical Center ADP security policy. Develops and implements quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety. Collaborates and maintains effective communication with all patients, caregivers, interdisciplinary teams, medical center staff and community partners. Participates in the evaluation, management, and safe storage of equipment and supplies, which affect service delivery. Fosters and maintains a safe therapeutic environment. Attends scheduled departmental meetings, meetings effecting patient care, and committee meetings as assigned. Performs other related duties as assigned. Assists in teaching and providing learning experiences for clinical interns as required. Participates in staff orientation, successfully completes Medical Center assigned mandatory trainings, and in-service activities. Delivers treatment in compliance with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) accrediting agencies and VHA directives. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS. The Dance/ Movement Therapist will report to the Supervisory Recreation Therapist/ Section Chief, Recreation Therapy. At this level the Dance/ Movement Therapist is an autonomous practitioner who is able to deliver dance/movement therapy services independently. The Dance/Movement Therapist is responsible for all aspects of dance/movement therapy service delivery and is accountable for the safety and effectiveness of the Dance/ Movement therapy service delivery process. The Dance/ Movement Therapist may consult the Supervisory Recreation Therapist/ Section Chief, Recreation Therapy for more complex cases that do not have clear precedents or seek out assistance as needed. The Supervisory Recreation Therapist/ Section Chief, Recreation Therapy reviews all aspects of patient treatment for the results achieved and for conformance to the Recreation Therapy Section and PM&RS policies and requirements. The Dance/ Movement Therapist at this level has responsibilities to oversee students, assistants and volunteers that are assigned to his/her work area as appropriate and as directed. Work Schedule: Tues-Sat, 8am-4:30pm, Some evenings 1-9:30, (WHEN) Telework: Not Available Functional Statement #: 26011-F Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: US Citizen Education: Creative Arts Therapist (Dance/Movement) A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major or an emphasis in dance therapy or dance/movement therapy. The degree must be approved by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA). OR, A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a board-certified dance/movement therapist (BC-DMT) approved by the Dance Movement Therapy Certification Board (DMTCB). If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. NOTE. Dance/movement therapy coursework that began on or after March 15, 2013, must have been approved by the ADTA subcommittee for the approval of alternate route courses. Required Certification: Creative Arts Therapy (Dance/Movement). Applicants must be board-certified in dance/movement therapy by the DMTCB. 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 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 (Dance/Movement), 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: i. Ability to independently analyze and interpret assessment data for the development of an interdisciplinary treatment plan. ii. Skill in implementing specialized programming in accordance with internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety. iii. Ability to establish and maintain a safe therapeutic environment to promote expression through dance/movement therapy. iv. Knowledge of foundational dance/movement therapy techniques, protocols, and treatment interventions that are considered best practices. v. Skill in developing and selecting dance/movement therapy interventions for use with specific populations for therapeutic purposes (i.e., emotional regulation, containment and structure, etc.). vi. Ability to assess and use patient cultural backgrounds and values in dance/movement treatment planning and interventions. Assignment. Employees at this level serve as a creative arts therapist (dance/movement) at the full performance level. They provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for complex patients only. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: review of pre-evaluation data in the medical record upon admission or through consult; assist with assessment and development of individualized treatment goals; conduct assessments to determine current level of functioning and clinical needs through interviews with patients and other stakeholders; and identify patient's physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs, and quality of life. In collaboration with patients and consistent with the interdisciplinary team, the therapist conducts dance/movement therapy interventions to develop expression, communication, affect regulation, adaptive behaviors, and improve functioning. In partnership with the patient, caregiver, and interdisciplinary team, the therapist develops discharge plan, including, but not limited to establishing outpatient care and identifying community resources for dance and movement programs for therapeutic benefit. They apply dance movement therapy interventions to support coping and self-care for those living with long-term conditions within the least restrictive environment. They serve as a consultant to an interdisciplinary team and other staff on issues related to non-verbal behavior/communication and mind-body connection. The therapist plans, coordinates, and directs specialized programs, such as creative arts festivals and performances. References: ???????VA Handbook 5005/111 PART II APPENDIX G60 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily very active in nature with some sedentary work involved when performing administrative tasks. Work requires physical health, normal use of arms and legs, and good visual and auditory acuity. Prolonged standing, bending, lifting, reaching, pushing and walking are regular. The work can involve regular and recurring physical exertion when facilitating recreation/ sports and fitness activities. Moderate to heavy lifting (between 5-50 pounds) is required. Assisting patients in mobility such as ambulation, transfers or repositioning may occur. It may involve driving motorized vehicles and assisting with transporting patients during community outings. The work involves irregular tours of duty, including day and night shifts, weekend and holiday tours.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. (This is a required document for all applicants)

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 VA New Jersey Health Care System 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 US
• Name: Monique Barton
• Phone: 6463065973
• Email: [email protected]