This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service (CS). The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliaries throughout the United States. The CS provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, families, and staff in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Duties

This position is located at the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, Bonham, TX Duties include but not limited to: Serve as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Carries out a ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders. Provide extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and spiritual issues. Practices typically in a specialized clinic/program area, that may include intensive and extended pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program, with patients facing complex moral, ethical, or spiritual problems. Serve as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT). Advises and collaborates with other members of the IDT to provide comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans. Works with a full understanding of Chaplains' relationships to the objectives of VHA to successfully integrate the work of the medical facility's staff. Collaborates with and advises the other members of the IDT in the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans. Serve as a primary Chaplain resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services. Minister to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned Veteran patients. Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families. Serves as professional clinical Chaplain in specialty clinics such as Inpatient/Outpatient Mental Health, Inpatient/Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Clinics, Hospice, and Palliative Care, Grief and Bereavement Clinics, Women's Health Clinics, Cancer Treatment Centers, Spinal Cord/Polytrauma units, Pain clinics, Infectious Disease Clinics, Whole Health Clinics/Programs, etc. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, with occasional Sundays Telework: Ad-hoc telework is available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable. Foreign Education. To be creditable, theological or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) listed at https://www.naces.org/members. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ® or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ® Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Loss of Endorsement or Certification. Chaplains must maintain ecclesiastical endorsement and board certification. Loss of endorsement or board certification will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain occupation and may result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision. All chaplains employed in VHA, in this occupational series, performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply: (1) Chaplains who do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Chaplains appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended, or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Chaplains initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) Chaplains who were retained in this occupation, under this provision, and subsequently leave the occupation, lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. English Language Proficiency. Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Chaplain, GS-12 Experience. The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-11) that is directly related to the position to be filled. Specialty Certification. Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification and is required for the GS-12 grade level. Specialty certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the assignment is qualifying for a senior chaplain assignment. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: i. Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty. ii. Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care. iii. Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice. iv. Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. v. Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations. vi. Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area. vii. Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Demonstrated experience in successful work experience with Geriatric Patients and/or experience working with Mental Health. Ideally experience with Home Based Primary Care team. References: VA Handbook 5005/135 Part II Appendix G67 Chaplain Qualification Standard GS-0060 Veterans Health Administration September 24, 2020. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting or with the incumbent using an assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others.

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/.

Accreditation Information: Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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

NOTE: If your school was accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the https://www.chea.org/ or https://www.ats.edu/ website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Contacts

• Address Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]