Lead Recreation Therapist job with USAJobs

Duties

Summary

Recreation Therapy (RT) Leads will report directly to the RT Supervisor. They will assist with ensuring the efficient flow of services provided during the 72-hour program week. They will be responsible for the coordination of clinical and program work schedules for their assigned team in order to ensure services provided meet the needs of Veterans served and there is an even workflow and distribution of workload.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

  • Participate with development of and communicates the facility Strategic Planning process and act as liaison and oversight person for Polytrauma management and facility development as it relates to treatment/services provided.
  • Assist in recruiting, training, leading and evaluating professional, paraprofessional, therapy interns, students and volunteers.
  • Intercede with assigned staff on behalf of the team to inform the RT Supervisor of performance management issues/problems and to recommend/request related actions, such as: assignments, reassignments, promotions, TOD changes, peer reviews and performance appraisals.
  • Leads the team in: identifying, distributing and balancing workload and clinical assignments among employees in accordance with established work flow, skill level and/or professional specialization; making adjustments to accomplish the workload in accordance with established priorities to ensure time delivery of patient care; and ensuring that each employee has an integral role in developing team outcomes.
  • Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work, checking on progress and reviewing completed assignments to see that the Recreation Therapy Supervisor instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines, and quality have been met.
  • Resolves simple, informal complaints of employees and refer others, such as formal grievances and appeals, to the supervisor or appropriate management official.
  • Informs employees of available benefits, services and work-related activities.
  • Communicates team consensus and recommendations to the Supervisor on actions affecting team and individual awards, rewards and recognition.
  • Leads the team in assessing its strengths and opportunities for improvement and provides leadership to the team in exploring alternatives and determining what improvements can be made, e.g., assessment tools, treatment protocols, activity analysis.
  • Ensures that the Recreation Therapy Supervisor is periodically given report on the team and individual work accomplishments, problems, progress in mastering required competencies and individual and team training that is needed.
  • Respond to concerns of staff, patients, relevant others and community at large.
  • Prepare reports and maintains records, implement, evaluate and monitor Recreation Therapy budget.
  • Conduct or assist others in research projects.
  • Communicate information to insure compliance with governmental, professional; agency and accreditation standards and regulations.
  • Explain and facilitate Recreation Therapy performance improvement and participate actively in overall Recreation Therapy and facility performance improvement plan.
  • Facilitate completion and submission of necessary administrative documentation, i.e., Purchase Card, DSS, PI, CDR, MDS, etc.
  • Participate in Medical Center committees, i.e., Ethics, Resource Management, Safety, Infection Control, VAVS, etc. to obtain resources assure effective utilization of resources as related to therapeutic activity-based programs.
  • Coordinate the use of Recreation Therapy indoor and outdoor areas; coordination involves all Medical Center, Services/Sections, volunteer groups and the community.
  • Functions as Equipment Manager which includes maintenance/stats of all motor vehicles operated by Recreation Therapy staff.
  • Coordinate request and secure referrals from physicians, other professionals and services.
  • Coach/trains professional staff in the administration of Therapeutic Recreation client assessment process.
  • Coordinates /educates/trains on appropriate assessment procedures/tools to be used.
  • Coordinate/analyze integration of assessment information for planning purposes.

Work Schedule: Various tours to included evening, weekends and holidays.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to a background/security investigation
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

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: 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: Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC.

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).
Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a recreation or creative arts therapist, on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

      • Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level, or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
      • Employees who were appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
      • Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration/certification, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
      • Recreation and creative arts therapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements, in effect at the time of reentry, as a recreation or creative arts therapist.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Lead Recreation Therapist, GS-12

Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

    • 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.

References: Recreation and Creative Arts Therapist Qualification Standards; VA Handbook 5005/111 Part II; Appendix G60.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: This position requires walking, standing, lifting at least 50lbs, transferring patients to and from wheelchairs with the use of assistive/adaptive devices, and participation in Recreation Therapy clinics which may be physical in nature. Additional physical demands include kneeling bending, pushing, stopping, extending, grasping, pulling, shifting patients, retrieving, pivoting, twisting, squatting, turning, balancing, stretching, reaching, carrying, swinging, creative movement, dodging, and dragging. The work requires specific, common physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • VA 10-2850c form
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

VA Form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations can be found at: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-2850c-fill.pdf . ****REQUIRED****

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

  • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
  • An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
  • Award 50’s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.

Examples of appropriate SF-50’s include:

      • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
      • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
      • SF-50’s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application.

  • Cover Letter
  • VA 10-2850c form
  • CTRS certification by NCTRC
  • Other (3)
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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