Summary

Rehabilitation Counselors in the VHA work with persons who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health - physical - and/or psychosocial challenges affecting employment - independent living - or personal adjustment. Rehabilitation Counselors utilize various professional counseling and clinical modalities to promote and support optimal functioning - independence - personal adjustment - adaptation to disability - community reintegration - and recovery.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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 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
• 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-9 Education or Experience: None above the basic requirements
• 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: Knowledge of human development and behavior - medical - psychosocial - and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals
• Knowledge of history - philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling
• 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
• Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services
• Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement
• 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 Experience: Completion of one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled
• OR 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities - appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities
• Knowledge of military lifestyle - specific factors - and dynamics associated with Veterans - particularly combat Veterans - to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: This position requires significant travel in a government vehicle and transporting Veterans in a government vehicle
• The incumbent will be required to perform part (65% or more) of their job duties in the community and will be required to utilize a GSA vehicle while performing such duties
• The Rehabilitation Counselor will successfully complete all facility requirements to drive a GSA Vehicle and transport Veterans
• This includes all required physicals - including a pre-employment physical
• In addition - the incumbent will successfully complete all facility required TMS and other trainings to drive a GSA Vehicle and transport Veterans.

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited - to: Rehabilitation Counselor GS-9 Serves as a developmental Rehabilitation Counselor (RC) providing vocational and personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - and case coordination services
• Serves - receives guidance and advice from supervisor and senior staff as needed
• Provides developmental vocational rehabilitation services to Veterans with a wide array of psychiatric and physical disabilities and psychosocial conditions that present a myriad of barriers - to achieve competitive employment and educational and independent living goals
• Follows all suicide risk/prevention protocol in accordance with national - regional - and local policies - including administration of the CSSRS
• Refers to Licensed Independent Practitioner for further assessment including completion of CSRE and Safety Plan - when indicated
• Serves as a consultant to an interdisciplinary treatment team or other clinical staff as it relates to the Veteran's vocational rehabilitation needs
• Communicates appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers concerning the Veteran
• Conducts biopsychosocial assessments using medical records - pertinent disability documentation - and observation
• Incorporates interviews into the assessment with the Veterans and their support systems to generate personal - vocational - and educational histories
• Synthesizes the information to develop case conceptualization and make clinical recommendations to facilitate treatment planning and provision
• Selects - administers - and interprets psychometric assessments and vocational instruments to evaluate abilities - transferrable skills - aptitudes - interests - values - preferences - and overall work resilience
• Customizes vocational exploration activities - including informational interviews and labor market research - to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals
• Rehabilitation Counselor GS-11 Serves as a journey level Rehabilitation Counselor providing personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - and case coordination services
• Uses evidence-informed and evidence based modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities - such as physical - psychosocial - psychological - or neurological barriers - integrate successfully into the community
• Serves Veterans who have myriad barriers to overcome and achieve competitive employment - educational - and independent living goals
• Conducts biopsychosocial assessments using medical records - pertinent disability documentation - observation - and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal - vocational - and educational histories
• Follows all suicide risk/prevention protocol in accordance with national - regional and local policies - including administration of the CSSRS
• Refers to Licensed Independent Practitioner for further assessment - including completion of CSRE and Safety Plan - when indicated
• Selects - administers - and interprets vocational and other psychometric instruments to evaluate abilities - transferrable skills - functional capacity - labor market analyses - aptitudes - interests - values - preferences - and overall work resilience - and synthesize into an interpretive data report
• Customizes vocational exploration activities to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals
• Administers Measurement Based Care instrument to track progress throughout treatment and adjust goals and services as needed
• 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
• Determines clinical need for and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services to include: work restoration/resilience treatment - transitional work placement and/or competitive employment - assistive technology - financial benefits counseling and potential benefits protections
• Develops patient-centered treatment plans utilizing Specific - Measurable - Agreed upon - Realistic - and Time-based (SMART) goals and provides ongoing assessment of Veteran's progress
• This position requires operation of a government-owned or leased motor vehicle to properly carry out assigned duties up to 50% of the time
• A valid state-issued driver license is required - along with medical clearance by Personnel Health
• Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 93115-A and 93114-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized