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
• English Language Proficiency
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education
• The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist Recreation Therapist A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation
• The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC)
• OR, A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS)
• The degree must be approved by the NCTRC
• If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived
• Certification
• Required Certification Recreation Therapist
• Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC
• If hired under paragraph 4b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived
• Grade Determinations: The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Lead Recreation Therapist, GS-12 Experience
• At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Knowledge of recreation therapy across multiple types of clinical practice
• Ability to provide professional oversight and consultation for staff therapists and guidance to auxiliary staff, volunteers, and trainees
• Ability to monitor and report on the status and progress of work and make adjustments to accomplish the workload, in accordance with established procedures
• Ability to facilitate program development, outcome management, and strategic planning
• Ability to act as a liaison between staff, volunteers, or trainees, and serve as an immediate supervisor to resolve informal complaints and concerns
• Knowledge of procedures and policies to provide oversight and training for auxiliary staff, volunteers, and trainees
• Skill in coordinating clinical activities within the workgroup
• Skill in leading and directing staff to implement evidence-based recreation and/or creative arts therapy approaches to patients with varied treatment needs and skill level
• Assignment
• For all assignments above the full-performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Lead therapists are found in complexity level 1 facilities, or in facilities of lesser complexity levels where there are large affiliate network recreation and/or creative art therapy departments
• Therapists at this level have experience that demonstrates advanced practice skills and sound clinical judgment across many areas of recreation and creative arts therapies
• Leads are responsible for completing complex evaluations and treatments
• They are required to apply advanced evaluation methodologies and treatment theories in the provision of care to a vast array of patients with differing functional impairments
• They provide clinical practice guidance for other recreation and/or creative arts therapy staff
• Lead therapists monitor work flow, make work assignments, provide input on performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient flow of patient care
• The lead may provide primary reports to the chief for the daily delivery of department programs, reporting, staffing, and scheduling
• Lead therapists provide training for the department's auxiliary staff, volunteers, and trainees
• They provide instruction in maintenance of all service equipment and coordinate patient care plans to reduce redundancies and delays in patient treatment
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Preferred Experience: Long term care experience is preferred
• 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 Services