Rehabilitation Counselors work with an interdisciplinary team to provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling services to Veterans with disabilities, including assessment, counseling and case management services, development of rehabilitation plans, and assistance in attaining and maintaining employment, independent living, and attaining personal goals.

Duties

Coordinates and assists with the management within a VHA Voc Rehab Program which provides vocational and educational services. Provides coordination for a programmatic area consisting of multiple staff, for example CWT TW, CWT SE, or other component of VHA Voc Rehab. Addresses the complexities of psychosocial rehabilitation factors and timely and high-quality outcomes consistent with statutes, regulations, and policies. Resolves issues associated with specific projects involving best practices and provides leadership and direction on project implementation. Coordinates workforce development (vocational, education, and placement of Veterans) services and/or customer service to successfully operate a rehabilitation program. Uses sound judgment and decision-making while initiating and leading interdisciplinary groups of staff to improve customer service while delivering Veteran-focused and outcome-oriented care. Provides input and guidance on program evaluations, strategic plans, and policy considerations to the supervisor as appropriate for all interested VA entities and accrediting bodies. Monitors progress towards accomplishment of program goals and examines the benefits of process improvements. Provides consultation, coordination, oversight, support, and feedback to staff of their designated program area and student interns on work assignments, time and caseload management, and employment outcomes. Uses effective counseling skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community and independent living. Maintains an awareness and state-of-the-art knowledge of applicable accreditation bodies and standards to ensure long-term compliance. Prepares data and maintains records of work accomplishments and administration information, as required, and coordinates the preparation, presentation, and communication of work-related information to the supervisor. Provide a variety of rehabilitation services using counseling practices and evidence based and informed modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment, educational, and independent living goals. These rehabilitation services involve personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, and professional counseling practices. Provides clinical expertise through the timely application of therapeutic interventions, case coordination, crisis intervention, interdisciplinary team consultation, rehabilitation plan development, and ongoing assessment and job development practices. Supports informed decision making while using professional judgment and counseling skills to assist the Veteran in identifying suitable competitive employment and placement opportunities. Conducts a skillful analysis of their abilities, aptitudes, strengths, needs, preferences, disability conditions, and resulting impairments to guide Veterans with severe disabilities and employment challenges in achieving their goals. Provides psychoeducational and/or psychotherapeutic groups to facilitate effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills, work and life skills fostering independence and recovery. Collaborates with the appropriate professionals to provide rehabilitation services, including the assessment of vocational interests, aptitude, and abilities by using clinical tests, observations, interviews, evaluations, and specialized vocational assessment instruments. Consults with interdisciplinary teams to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions. Synthesizes assessment information to identify barriers to employment and their vocational implications. Completes various quality assurance and improvement activities to improve services provided. Work Schedule: M-F 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 58813-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

***This is an open continuous announcement until December 31, 2024. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education. (1) A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a rehabilitation counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). If the applicant's degree was granted prior to July 1, 2017, the program must be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education. OR (2) A master's degree in counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). OR (3) A master's or doctoral degree in a related field of study with course content that emphasized rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness, or human development from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA. OR (4) Foreign graduates with a degree acceptable by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). Certification. Current, full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the CRCC to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling. Grade Determinations: Rehabilitation Counselor (Coordinator), GS-12 Experience. Completion of one year of professional experience at the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to address complexity of psychosocial rehabilitation factors and deliver timely and high-quality outcomes consistent with statutes, regulations and policies. (b) Theoretical and practical knowledge of a range of rehabilitation service delivery systems for the administration and management of a clinical rehabilitation program. (c) Ability to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups of staff utilizing sound judgement and decision-making to improve customer service while delivering Veteran-focused and outcome-oriented health care. (d) Knowledge of applicable accreditation bodies and standards to ensure long-term compliance. (e) Knowledge of business administration practices such as managing participant payroll, accounting, billing, marketing, workforce development (vocational, educational and placement of Veterans) services and/or customer service to successfully operate a rehabilitation employment program. Preferred Experience: Familiarity with Suicide Prevention and Crisis Mental Health Care; Experience in working with Serious Mental Illness, Substance Use Disorders, Co-occurring mental health disorders; Able to work within an interdisciplinary team (medical providers, psychiatrists, nursing staff, case managers). Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service, paragraph 2.

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 Sheridan VA Health Care System 1898 Fort Road Sheridan, WY 82801 US
• Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]