The Supervisory Rehabilitation Counselor provides oversight and supervision of a group of subordinate Rehabilitation Counselors and other VRS staff, and for administratively planning and directing their work in accordance with the VHA Directive 1163. This position is the focal point for organizing, implementing, and evaluating employment and vocational rehabilitation services in the VA medical facility. 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). Education. 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 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 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. Preferred Experiences: Experience serving as a Supervisory Rehabilitation Counselor within VA Experience delivering CWT services, to include CWT-TW and CST-SE Experience overseeing a Voc Rehab Services program within VA Experience assisting with agency reviews (e.g. CARF surveys) Experience in routinely delivering services via Clinical Video Telehealth GRADE Requirements: GS-12 Supervisory Rehabilitation Counselor: Experience: one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. Vocational Rehab Counselors at the GS-11 level complete the following tasks: Provide personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment and educational and independent living goals. Conduct biopsychosocial assessments using medical records, pertinent disability documentation, observation and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories. Select, administer and interpret vocational instruments to evaluate abilities, aptitudes, interests, values, preferences, transferrable skills and overall work resilience. Customize vocational exploration activities for identification of self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals. Consult with interdisciplinary teams (IDT) to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions. Synthesize assessment information to identify barriers to employment and their vocational implications. Determine clinical need for and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services to include: work restoration/resilience treatment, transitional work placement and compensation, supported employment, assistive technology, financial benefits counseling and potential benefits protections. Develop patient-centered treatment plans utilizing SMART goals and provides ongoing assessment of Veteran's progress. Procure and manage transitional work agreements from community, state and federal agencies. Monitor work site compliance with agreements to ensure Veterans are appropriately trained and evaluated consistent with industry standards. Devise solutions to reduce and/or eliminate barriers and meet Veterans' placement needs which may require substantial modification to environmental or functional demands within a work setting. Provide psychoeducational groups to teach effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills and life skills fostering independence. Complete interpretive data reports. Provide disability education and program-specific training to staff and stakeholders. May supervise vocational rehabilitation students. Supervisory Rehabilitation Counselor Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to supervise (e.g. plan, direct, oversee, review work of subordinate staff), assess employee strengths, opportunities for growth, and qualifications to accomplish program goals, adapt work operations, and guide staff. (b) Knowledge of labor/management agreements to effectively manage issues and concerns. (c) Knowledge of applicable accreditation bodies (i.e. Joint Commission and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) and their standards to ensure continuous compliance. (d) Theoretical and practical knowledge of a range of rehabilitation delivery systems for the development, implementation, management and growth of rehabilitation programs and services. (e) Knowledge of business administration practices such as managing participant payroll, accounting, budget planning, to successfully operate a rehabilitation program. The full performance level for this position is GS-12. The grade a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G62, Rehabilitation Counselor Qualification Standard, Dated July 21, 2020 Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. ["The Supervisory Rehabilitation Counselor: Oversees the therapeutic modalities of the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) component, Vocational and Educational Assistance services, and vocational rehabilitation or employment service provided to other VA programs. Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates. Develops realistic performance improvement standards and quality assurance efforts. Evaluates work performance of subordinates. Identifies the developmental and training needs of employees. Identifies ways to improve productivity and quality of the work directed. Recommends promotions, reassignments, performance ratings, and retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel. Effects minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands. Resolves informal complaints of employees and interacts with union representatives on personnel matters. Refers serious disciplinary problems to higher levels of management as appropriate. Provides clinical and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of VRS, including adherence to the Individualized Placement and Support model and other evidence based and evidence informed models and therapeutic interventions. Works with other leadership to develop and revise comprehensive policies, risk management assessments, and strategic plans based on feedback from stakeholders, accrediting bodies, and program evaluation data. Provides oversight of intake assessments of Veterans referred to the VRS program and for developing vocational assessments to identify an individual's strengths, barriers, and areas of vocational interests. Estimates budgetary needs based on history, anticipated workload, resource need, and the workload capacity of the VRS and makes justified requests or proposals. Maintains accounting controls, oversight of CWT Account expenditures and usage, CWT TW payroll, and fund control points VRS. Approves and signs the Memorandums Of Agreement for CWT TW, developed by VRS staff or the VRS Supervisor. Establishes Standard Operating Procedures for the VRS and oversees their implementation. Participates in the development of program initiatives to enhance VHA's program objectives that have national impact. Identifies and resolves complex problems within the program and reports improvements to higher leadership. Ensures compliance with applicable federal and/or state laws, regulations, agency rules, standards, and guidelines. Develops and implements training material for individual, workgroup, and service levels. Clinically and administratively addresses and resolves Veteran concerns, complaints, grievances, and appeals. Analyzes formal complaints to identify trends and develop quality improvement plans accordingly. Provides 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. Reviews medical, psychological, vocational, and educational data to maximize the independence and employability of Veterans with personal, social, and vocational barriers as a result of mental health, medical, or psychosocial impairments. 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. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Ad-Hoc Telework may be authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
