Summary

Thank you for your interest in the Occupational Therapist position in Physical Medicine and Rehab (PM&R) at VA Connecticut Healthcare System. This position will work directly with the Housing and Urban Development - VA Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Program. HUD-VASH is an intensive case management program for homeless Veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services to Veterans while residing in stable housing through HUD's Section 8 voucher system.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) (a))
• Education and/or Experience: The candidate must meet one of the following requirements below for Education and/ or Experience: a) Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy and two (2) years of experience as an Occupational Therapist
• or (b) Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field
• or (c) Master's Degree or higher in Occupational Therapy
• Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations
• This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution)
• ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
• Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association - P.O
• Box 31220 - Bethesda - MD 20824-122 Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an Occupational Therapist
• State Occupational Therapy Licensure: Candidates must possess a full - current - and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a state - territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - or in the District of Columbia
• Grandfathering Provision: 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: Occupational Therapist - GS-12 Education - Experience - and Licensure and all KSA's
• Experience: Completion of one full year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
• Examples of this experience includes but is not limited to: Practice independently
• responsible for the assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized tools
• modifies standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools
• select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with routine complexity to enhance safety - wellness - performance in activities of daily living (ADL)
• and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) - education - work - play - leisure - and social participation
• demonstrate an understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis - behavioral intervention - frame of references - and therapeutic procedures
• AND Demonstrated knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs) : In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice
• Knowledge is inclusive of physical - occupational - cognitive - and psychosocial functional deficits
• (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders
• (c) Ability to use critical analysis - clinical reasoning - and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments - treatment plans - activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients
• (d) Skill in procuring - fabricating - adjusting - adapting - and modifying orthoses - splints - and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment)
• (e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training
• Preferred Experience: Mental Health and Physical Disabilities Experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Promotion Potential: The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone - retrieving files - writing reports - data entry and maintenance of computer databases - etc.
• The position requires periods of walking - standing and bending
• If unable to meet the physical demands for the position - reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions
• Must have good manual dexterity
• Must be able to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word
• Must be able to view and read information on computer screens
• The therapist will travel into the community to meet Veterans in a variety of areas
• The therapist will be exposed to weather elements.

Duties

• The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: Perform OT examinations and evaluations - interpret findings from examinations - establish a diagnosis and prognosis within the scope of OT
• Conduct telehealth and home visits and implements appropriate OT intervention plans for all patients referred
• Make autonomous clinical decisions in a direct access environment
• Actively engage Veterans who have experienced homelessness in activities to develop and build the skills needed for independent living
• Assess and develop rehabilitation objectives for patients
• Conducts independent and specialized evaluation of the patient by using a variety of standardized and non-standardized tests to determine occupational therapy needs
• Utilize evaluation procedures/methods including review of medical record - subjective interview with patient - relevant HUD-VASH Program staff and teams - VA and non-VA providers regarding independent living skills - activities of daily living - instrumental activities of daily living - cognition - motor function/control - functional mobility - and safety in the home
• Develop an effective and client centered treatment plan that is appropriate and indicated for any disabilities and conditions diagnosed or being treated as they relate to recovery from experiencing homelessness and the capacity for independent living
• Work in collaboration with patient and HUD-VASH team members (Social Workers - Peer Specialists - Nurses - etc.) to establish appropriate housing stabilization and retention plans
• Develops and carries out a full range of occupational therapy treatments using a variety of evidence-based treatment methods and techniques
• Work effectively with all disciplines and providers involved in the patient's treatment and HUD-VASH Program team members including the patient - family/care givers/friends - clinical students - physicians - nurses - social workers - case managers - physical therapists - speech-language pathologists and other providers involved in patient's care
• Documents evaluations - treatment plans - progress notes - daily treatment notes - team note - discharge summaries and patient education is completed on all patients in accordance with facility policies (VA - PM&R - OT) for content and timeliness
• Actively participates in his/her own professional development by maintaining an appropriate level of education required by National Board of Certification for Occupational therapy - Professional State Licensure for Occupational Therapy - and the American Occupational Therapy Association
• Serves as clinical instructor - when assigned - for the training and supervision of part time and/or full-time doctoral Occupational therapist student affiliates and Occupational therapist assistant student affiliates
• Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 689-F03635 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized