Summary

The Rehabilitation Counselor serves as a certified rehabilitation provider as a member of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program under the Rehabilitation Services Section of the Mental Health Clinical Center - within the Veterans Administration Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS). Rehabilitation Counselors work with an interdisciplinary team to provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling services to Veterans with disabilities.

Qualifications

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: 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 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
• 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 (GS-9) 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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Rehabilitation Counselor - GS-09 Experience
• None beyond 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 (GS-9) level directly related to the position being filled
• Examples of experience are but not limited to: Provide 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
• Conduct assessments through record reviews - observations and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate and document personal - vocational and educational histories
• Customize evaluation of abilities - aptitudes - interests - values and preferences
• Assist Veterans in vocational exploration activities to include informational interviews and labor market research
• 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience providing services with adult populations Experience working with behavioral health populations Experience working with populations diagnosed with serious mental illnesses Experience developing patient-centered treatment plans utilizing SMART goals and providing ongoing assessment of individuals progress Experience in rehabilitation counseling 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-09 to GS-11.

Duties

• Duties are but not limited too: Serve as a Rehabilitation Counselor providing personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - and case coordination services
• Serve Veterans who have myriad barriers to overcome and achieve competitive employment - educational - and independent living goals
• Provide a variety of professional rehabilitation counseling services such as personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services - utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities and professional counseling practices 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 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
• Consult with interdisciplinary teams to enhance coordination of care - ensure medical clearance - and provide for optimal timing of further interventions
• Determine 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
• Develop patient-centered treatment plans utilizing Specific - Measurable - Agreed upon - Realistic - and Time-based (SMART) goals and provides ongoing assessment of Veteran's progress
• Provide psychoeducational and/or psychotherapeutic groups to facilitate effective job search skills - employer-desired soft skills - work and life skills fostering independence and recovery
• Provide job development - customized employment - job carving - job coaching - job accommodation - advocacy - and adaptation services to both Veterans with severe disabilities and to educate and support employers
• Provide professional recommendations and guidance regarding the 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
• Utilize knowledge of the military culture - military transition to civilian occupations - and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans - particularly combat Veterans - to advise those who are returning to the community - and community-based work
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 26171-F/25505-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized