This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service (CS) at the Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona.

Duties

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO CURRENT PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA NATION-WIDE) ONLY. The incumbent serves as the Chaplain professional performing supervisory and senior clinical assignments for the VHA Med/Surg and other In-Patient Units. Provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. Addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services. Provides service for the chaplaincy program of a major faith ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program. Manages the full spectrum of chaplaincy service operations. Serves in a moderately complex to very complex chaplain service program with identified specialty chaplains working in (Hospice and Palliative Care, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Residential and Outpatient programs, Substance Use Disorder Clinics, Cancer Treatment Clinics, Women's Health Clinics, Spinal Cord Injury Clinics, etc. Performs non-supervisory assignments consisting of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, and variety. Serves in all religious and spiritual care and provides counsel to facility leadership concerning religious expression. Develops local policy, productivity, and clinical practice standards. Serves as the Chaplain expert participant with other specialists as a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT). Engages with other program heads and the VHA facility's administrator in decision making conferences concerning policies, practices, and regulations affecting the care and treatment program of the facility. Carries out full program responsibility with professional independence, while subject to only administrative controls from immediate supervisor. Participates in the development of one or more subprograms (training, research, community relationships, or religious education if in relationship to the intensive overall treatment program), to advance the religious program and the mission of the medical facility. Works in difficult environmental settings that require considerably more than a working knowledge of the behavioral sciences; and understands and effectively addresses highly sensitive issues. Work Schedule: Varies Telework: Available - Ad Hoc- As determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Recruitment Incentive: NOT Authorized Position Title/Functional Statement #:Chaplain/FS #6192F 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. To qualify for appointment as a chaplain, all applicants must possess the following: a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). b. 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 (see paragraph f) is acceptable. c. 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. d. 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. e. 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. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp f. 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 ®. Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) for a period 2 not to exceed two years. This exception only applies at the entry level. For the journey level and above, the candidate must have board certification. At the time of appointment, the supervisor in collaboration with Human Resources, will provide the uncertified chaplain with the written requirements for obtaining certification, the date by which the certification must by acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. The written notice must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date. Failure to become certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. Temporary graduate chaplain appointments may not be extended beyond two years and may not be converted to a new temporary appointment in this occupation. g. 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. 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). Refer to Grandfathering Provision in the Education Section (below). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. English Language Proficiency. Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 3 5. GRADE REQUIREMENTS: All individuals assigned to this occupation must have an approved title or parenthetical title, as described below: a. Chaplain GRADE DETERMINATIONS, GS-11 (a) Experience. At this level, the candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level that is directly related to the position to be filled: a. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: (b) Assignment. At the GS-11 journey level, the chaplain independently serves as a primary resource and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers and staff. The chaplain provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families. The chaplain provides guidance and/or support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. The chaplain develops pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome-driven, and evidence-based in coordination with the department guidelines. The chaplain provides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters, including but not limited to, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, justice or confinement matters, terminal diagnoses, or crisis. The chaplain also supports the development of staff resiliency by providing emotional and spiritual support and compassionate presence and develops programs for staff development and wellness. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must meet the experience above and demonstrate the following KSAs: i. Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families. ii. Skill in guiding patients in verbalizing and expressing values through life review, 5 oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. iii. Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome-driven and evidenced based within the department guidelines. iv. Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties and justice or confinement matters. v. Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support. vi. Ability to educate and equip healthcare staff and trainees screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress. vii. Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff.

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/.

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.

Contacts

• Address Orlando VA Medical Center 13800 Veterans Way Orlando, FL 32827 US
• Name: Michael Brown
• Phone: 407-631-8495
• Email: [email protected]