RECREATION THERAPIST

JOB SUMMARY: VacancyID: 733459  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those who serve our country. Whatever the job title, every position in VA will give you a chance to make a meaningful and personal contribution to the lives of truly special and deserving people - our Veterans. Working for VA is one of the most emotionally satisfying and professionally rewarding ways to dedicate the best within you to your Countrys service. If you are transitioning from the military or a Veteran already, we invite you to explore the benefits of continuing your career at the VA. The VA is committed to hiring Veterans. The VA is much more than just another employer. It is an honorable, open and welcoming community of those who care. Gratitude is our motivation and service is our mission. The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define “who we are,” our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence (“I CARE”).Americas Veterans need you! To find out more, go to http://www.va.gov/jobs/.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation.

DUTIES:Back to top NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 2 years). Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. Term appointments may be extended without further competition. NOTE: This is a part-time position (10 hours/week). The salary listed represents full-time employment and will be pro-rated on the actual number of hours worked each pay-period. Likewise, benefits and time-off accrual will also be pro-rated and based on your part-time work schedule. Employee will be assigned to the Extended Care and Rehabilitation Service, Medical Foster Home Program, VA Medical Center, Fargo, ND, providing comprehensive therapeutic recreation specialty rehabilitation services to veterans; and addresses the needs of the veterans with geriatric and chronic diseases, ensuring a full range of rehabilitation services for individuals with complex cognitive, physical, and mental health issues. Duties include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Plans and conducts a recreation therapy program for veterans in Medical Foster Homes.
• Interprets and administers providers recreation therapy prescriptions utilizing the modality of recreation therapy with individuals/groups of veterans having physical, emotional, and social disabilities.
• Completes an independent assessment that addresses the physical limitations, communicative disorders, cognitive deficits, social, emotional, and/or behavior reactions for adult veterans of all ages.
• Completes medical record documentation using approved assessment procedures to produce a recreation therapy treatment plan based on multidisciplinary treatment goals and completed with specific time frames; and identifies measureable treatment goals, evaluates progress, and documents responses to treatment.
• Serves as a member of interdisciplinary teams; recommends treatment objectives at team meetings; and evaluates and provides activities that involve teaching, relearning, and remotivation processes.
• Ensures that all programs conducted meet appropriate standards; and considers a widely diversified program in relation to the veterans potential, physical and mental limitations and availability of facilities, supplies, and equipment.
• Monitors and evaluates treatment practices and recommends and implements changes to improve patient care services.
• Conducts ongoing evaluation of therapy results; modifies, adjusts, and augments treatment plans as indicated by each veterans response and progress.
• Have numerous contacts with members of other services, community agencies, and commercial facilities.
• May supervise and train clinical affiliates, recreation therapy interns and provide guidance to the recreation program.

WORK SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday, between the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm. Actual days and hours worked during the week will be based on the needs of the patient population, not to exceed 10 hours per week. ***RELOCATION EXPENSES AND/OR INCENTIVES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED*** QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. The English Language proficiency statement appears as a question on the Assessment Questionnaire. BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT - All applicants must first meet the basic education requirement: Bachelors degree (or higher) in recreational therapy or in a creative arts therapy field (art therapy, dance therapy, music therapy, or psychodrama); or a major in an appropriate subject-matter field with therapeutic emphasis or concentration. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) - Additional transcripts and/or supporting documentation to provide evidence of the therapeutic emphasis or concentration of your education where the major field of study is not readily identified as "therapeutic" MUST BE PROVIDED to meet this requirement. ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS - In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, you must also possess specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below to qualify for this position. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR GS-10:  Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this Recreation Therapist position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices of recreation therapy; developing and implementing treatment plans for critically disabled patients with complex and multiple disabilities (i.e., psychiatric, social, emotional disabilities) using assessments and physician therapy orders ; utilizing therapeutic approaches to maintain the physical and/or mental health/rehabilitation of persons; conducting ongoing evaluations of therapy and adjusting treatments; and conducting therapeutic recreation programs for patients.A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.  OR Two and one half (2 ½) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D or Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree in an appropriate subject-matter field with therapeutic emphasis or concentration which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this Recreation Therapist position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)OR Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience (as described above) may be used to meet total qualification requirements. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) You will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics (KSAOs) as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Knowledge of recreation therapy principles, methods, and practices.
• Ability to assess aptitudes and interests of clients.
• Skill in administering treatments.
• Ability to evaluate and adjust treatments.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position requires walking, standing, sitting, lifting, travel, kneeling, stooping, extending, grasping, and participation in recreation therapy activities which may be physical in nature; running, physical fitness activities, bowling, driving motor vehicles, such as a sedan or van, etc. The work involves driving an automobile and going in and out of a variety of settings in the community. The work also involves assisting veterans in and out of vehicles, including public transit.Additional physical demands include bending, pushing, pulling, shifting patients, retrieving, pivoting, twisting, squatting, turning, balancing, casting, stretching, reaching, carrying, creating movement and dragging.This work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average dexterity to perform intricate therapy procedures. The physical limitation of the young adult, middle adult, and the geriatric patient must be taken into consideration when performing all assigned responsibilities. The work involves driving a motor vehicle and going in/out of a variety of community settings.For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Please refer to this checklist to ensure proper accreditation and for foreign education requirements. Veterans Preference:When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of DD-214(s) showing all dates of service as well as character of service (honorable, general, etc.). Additionally, veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more must also submit a copy of their official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying their service-connected disability and/or their receipt of compensation for service-connected disability.  If the military member is within 120 days of separation and does not yet have a DD214, the member may instead submit any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed.Veterans with service-connected disability of less than 10%, non service-connected disability, and Purple Heart recipients, as-well-as those claiming derived preference for a spouse, widow or widower, or natural mother, should refer to and submit a completed " SF15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference ," (go to http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf) and required documentation with your application materials. For more information on Veterans Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx.  HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED: Applicants will be ranked based on four quality groups, as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

After the vacancy announcement closes, reviewed applications are evaluated against the questionnaire responses and placed in the appropriate quality group.  Qualified veterans will be afforded preference by being placed at the top of the appropriate quality group. The best qualified group is the first to be referred to the hiring facility for further consideration and possible interview.  The remaining groups may be referred based on the number of applicants available.
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Country: USA, State: North Dakota, City: Fargo, Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.