Career Center

Summary

Rehabilitation Counselors (RC) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) work with persons who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health - Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) - physical - and/or psychosocial challenges affecting employment - independent living - or personal adjustment.

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: (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 (4) 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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Exceptions for Graduate RCs: 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)
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: Rehabilitation Counselor - GS-09 Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of human development and behavior - medical - psychosocial - and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals
• (b) Knowledge of history - philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling
• (c) 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
• (d) Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services
• (e) Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement
• (f) Knowledge of assessment tools and methods - functional capacity evaluation sand 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
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities - appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community
• (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) 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
• (e) 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
• (f) Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities.(g) Knowledge of military culture and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans - particularly combat Veterans - to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work
• Preferred Experience: 1
• Experience in an official capacity - providing vocational rehabilitation services
• 2
• Experience providing community-based case management/clinical services
• 3
• Experience working with an integrated disciplinary mental health clinical team
• 4
• Experience in leading and/or contributing to programmatic components (i.e. - development) of service
• 5
• Experience building community partnerships in formal position
• 6
• Experience providing recovery-oriented substance abuse treatment services
• 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
• Physical Requirements: The position will require moderate lifting (15-44 pounds) - light lifting (under 15 pounds) - moderated carrying (under 15-44 pounds) - light carrying (under 15 pounds) - use of fingers - both hands required - walking (2 hours) - standing (2 hours) - and operation of motor vehicle.

Duties

• The Rehabilitation Counselor providing vocational and personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - and case coordination services
• The incumbent serves as a journey level Rehabilitation Counselor providing personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - and case coordination services
• 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
• The Rehabilitation Counselor has a working knowledge of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and understands the impact SUDs can have on a Veterans' ability to obtain and maintain employment
• Familiar with motivational interviewing and other therapeutic modalities targeted at addressing SUDs
• 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
• Ensures fidelity to evidence-based and evidence-informed vocational and professional counseling practices
• Evaluates Veteran's abilities and disabilities
• monitors and records Veteran's progress to ensure goals and objectives are met
• Provide a variety of professional rehabilitation counseling services such as personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - and case coordination services - utilizing evidence-based modalities and professional counseling practices to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment and in meeting educational and independent living goals
• Uses effective counseling skills to promote self-awareness - adjustment to disability - job retention - and integration to the community
• 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 conceptualizations 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 interview and labor market research - to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals
• Administers Measurement Based Care instruments to track progress throughout treatment and adjust goals and services as needed
• Determines clinical need for and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services
• Vocational programming benefits may include work restoration/resilience treatment - transitional work placement and compensation - financial benefits counseling - potential benefits protections - supported employment - and assistive technology
• Provides job development - customized employment - job carving - job coaching - job accommodation - advocacy - and adaption services to Veterans with severe disabilities and providing education and to support employers
• Uses marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within the VA and the local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities
• Establishes and maintains a liaison between the Medical Center and organizations within the community which provide competitive employment opportunities for Veterans
• Collects and organizes data on Veterans as required by the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC)
• Submits CWT Enrollments forms within two weeks of the first CWT encounter and submits CWT Completion forms within two weeks of the final CWT encounter
• The position requires occasional travel away from the duty station for local meetings
• and infrequent distant meetings and conferences
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid driver's license to operate a government vehicle
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday (8:00am to 4:30pm) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Note: This is a Bargaining Unit position
• This vacancy will remain open until filled
• The first cut-off date is 05/14/2025
• Additional applications will be referred as needed.