The San Francisco VA Health Care System is recruiting for a full-time Rehabilitation Counselor within Social Service. There are two vacancies, one in the San Francisco VA, and one in the Santa Rosa Community Based Outpatient Clinic. 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. English Language Proficiency Requirement. 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. Exceptions for Graduate RCs.(a)RC graduates from an approved counseling or rehabilitation counseling program who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and the additional degree requirements for CRC certification by the CRCC, but do not possess the required certification, may be appointed, pending certification, as a graduate RC on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(D). (b)Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.(c)Temporary graduate RC appointments may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. (2) Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, RCs must actively pursue meeting prerequisites for certification starting from the date of their appointment. This includes working towards completion of CRCC's required acceptable employment experience and completing required CRCC documentation to verify employment experience and supervision by a CRC. At the time of appointment, the RC supervisor will provide the RC with the written requirements for certification, including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0101 RC series and may result in termination of employment. Grade Determinations: Rehabilitation Counselor, GS-09 (1)Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of human development and behavior, medical, psychosocial, and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals. (b) Knowledge of history, philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling. (c) Ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information in conjunction with labor market trends and community/educational resources to develop an effective individual service delivery plan. (d) Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services. (e) Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement. (f) Knowledge of assessment tools and methods, functional capacity evaluations and specific vocational preparation to evaluate transferrable skills, residual capacities and needs for accommodations and assistive technology. Rehabilitation Counselor, GS-11 (1) Experience. Completion of one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. OR (2) Education. A doctoral degree in rehabilitation counselor education or related field(e.g. rehabilitation psychology) from a CACREP accredited institution or from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a)Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities, appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community. (b)Knowledge of counseling theory, medical and psychiatric terminology and signs and symptomology of suicidal and homicidal ideations, to communicate appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers in relation to the Veteran and/or his/her family's psychosocial needs and to recommend and help implement suitable treatment plans. (c)Ability to use evidence-based and evidence informed vocational and professional counseling practices to include individual placement and support (IPS),customized employment and supported employment models and motivational interviewing skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community. (d)Knowledge of career development processes and job analysis methodology to determine essential functions of jobs, worksite modifications and/or alternative vocational goals given the work history and residual functional capacities of individuals with disabilities. (e)Ability to administer and interpret a wide variety of assessment methods including transferrable skills and labor market analyses to evaluate for individual interests, aptitudes and abilities and to identify suitable vocational goals for the development of an effective individual service delivery plan. (f)Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities. (g)Knowledge of military culture and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans, particularly combat Veterans, to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G62 Rehabilitation Counselor Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. ["The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor provides vocational and personal adjustment counseling, case management and transferrable skills analyses to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in pursuit of their self-determined employment, educational and independent living goals. This VRC in this position conducts assessments through record reviews, observations and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate and document personal, vocational, and educational histories. The VRC SE-SUD can customize evaluation of abilities, aptitudes, interests, values, and preferences, and assist Veterans in vocational exploration activities to include informational interviews and labor market research and examine the impact of employment income on Veteran's benefits. In coordination with Veteran's interdisciplinary teams (IDT), develop and amend patient-centered treatment plans utilizing specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and time-based (SMART) goals. The VRC SE-SUD utilizes VA Health Care System and community resources to provide job training and placement for homeless Veterans with Substance Use Disorders and/or mental health, and other mild disabilities. The VRC SE-SUD is responsible for the vocational rehabilitation of severely disabled Veterans with increased difficulties in motivation, training, placement, or adjustment, secondary to severe impairments related to substance use disorders, psychiatric disorders, or difficulties with basic education. The VRC SE-SUD sets up individualized learning plans and monitors Veterans' progress, meeting with employers and VA and non-VA Providers to observe performance and discuss Veterans' progress. The VRC SE-SUD participates in weekly patient review conferences and updates vocational treatment plans as necessary. Promote employment programs to community employers to establish relationships that will result in providing work opportunities for Veterans with significant behavioral, physical, emotional and/or cognitive challenges under the general supervision of certified RCs. Conduct outreach and job development to match Veterans strengths to local workforce needs. Facilitate job placement for Veterans by teaching valuable job search skills, resume/application development, interview skills and basic computer skills. Coordinate transportation to interviews/hiring events. Complete job analyses to facilitate job coaching and retention services to aid Veterans in learning and maintaining proficiency in performance of essential job tasks. Counsel Veterans regarding importance of soft skills (e.g., personal hygiene, cooperation with co-workers, and following instructions) when employed to enhance job satisfaction and foster natural supports in the workplace. Coordinate job search clubs for Veterans to improve in self-directed job search activities. Complete clinical charting and participate in clinical peer reviews. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
