Blind Rehabilitation Specialist
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Description: Department of Veterans Affairs is looking of Blind Rehabilitation Specialist right now, this career will be placed in Utah. Further informations about this career opportunity kindly read the description below. Vacancy Identification Number
(VIN):
867297
Salary
: Applicant's education and experience will be reviewed by a Professional Standards Boar! d in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.
OUR MISSION:
To fulfill President LincolnÂ's promise - Â"To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphanÂ" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are AmericaÂ's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?
The
Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) needs employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those who served our Country. Whatever the job title, every position in VA will give you a chance to make a meaningful and personal contribution to the lives of truly special and deserving people - our Veterans. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and fl! exible scheduling opportunities. Working for VA is one of the ! most emotionally satisfying and professionally rewarding ways to dedicate the best within you to your Country's service.
If you are transitioning from the military or a Veteran already, we invite you to explore the benefits of continuing your career at the VA.
The VA is committed to hiring Veterans.
The VA is much more than just another employer. It is an honorable, open and welcoming community of those who care. Gratitude is our motivation and service is our mission.
The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define Â"who we are,Â" our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are
I
ntegrity,
C
ommitment,
A
dvocacy,
R
espect and
E
xcellence (Â"
I CARE
Â").
America's Veterans need you!
To find ! out more, go to
http://www.va.gov/jobs/
.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
You must pass a pre-employment physical
DUTIES:
The Low Vision Therapist in the Advanced Low Vision Clinic functions as an independent clinical therapist responsible for evaluation and treatment of patients that have a wide variety of medical diagnoses and functional visual deficits seen in VASLCHCS. Performs low vision therapy evaluation and treatments primarily with out-patients, male and female, ages ranging from adult to geriatric, having a variety of low vision disabilities. These cases may be relatively complex in nature with chronic and acute disease processes including but not limited to central nervous system disorders, vascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and multisystem! disease combinations.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, ! 8:00 a.m.. to 4:30 p.m.
Relocation expenses
are not
authorized.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
.
a.
Citizenship
. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A,Paragraph 3g, this part.)
b.
Education.
(1) The individual must have earned:
(a) A bachelorÂ's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, related program in rehabilitation, ! special education, family and consumer science education, technology and industrial arts education, or health care; or,
(b) A bachelorÂ's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included or was supplemented by at least one of the following:
1. At least 30 semester hours of directly related, upper level undergraduate courses (e.g., at least 200-course level or higher, or as identified by the college or university).
2. One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15-18 semester
hours).
3. A certificate in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy or low vision therapy from an accredited college or university and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree.
(2) Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a BachelorÂ! 's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalen! t, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in Blind Rehabilitation.
c.
Certification
. Required at GS-11 and above.
(1) Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), or another equivalent, related professional credential in special education, rehabilitation or health care. If all certifications are impaired, the individual is ineligible for appointment in VA. NOTE: The ACVREP administers three certification programs: Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. Once certification candidates are approved, they receive an official letter of acceptance, a certificate, and a logo pin. They may then use the designation for the certification they hold (as listed in! subparagraph (2) below.
(2)BRSs who provide the following service must obtain certification granted by ACVREP as follows:
(a) Orientation and mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS®).
(b) Communication and daily living therapy (formerly Rehabilitation Teaching) - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT®).
(c) Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT®).
(3) BRSs who are VIST Coordinators may be drawn from traditional blind/vision rehabilitation backgrounds, and also from counseling backgrounds such as social work, vocational rehabilitation counseling, etc. VIST Coordinators must be credentialed/certified through:
(a) Any certification via the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education (ACVREP), or
(b) Individuals appointed on the basis of being licensed as a Social Worker must be licensed or certified by a state to independentl! y practice social work at the masterÂ's degree level. A doctoral degree! in social work may not be substituted for the masterÂ's degree in social work. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator, Social Workers are appointed to the GS-601 series, but must still maintain a full, valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment,or
(c) Certification via the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, CRC), or
(d) Individuals appointed on the basis of being licensed in another health care occupation must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice in their field. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator, such individual will be appointed to the GS-601 series, but must still maintain their full, valid and unrestricted independent license or certification in their occupation to remain qualified for employment. Examples of occupations may include but not limited to Occupational Therapists and Psychologists.
c.
Loss of Cre! dential.
(1) Once certified, a BRS must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted independent certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of certification will result in removal from the BRS occupation and may result in termination of employment.
(2) A BRS who has, or has ever had his/her certification revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, Paragraph 16 of this part.
(3) If hired on the basis of a social worker or rehabilitation counseling background, a VIST Coordinator must still maintain a full, valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment.
d.
Grandfathering Provision
. All BRSs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualific! ation requirements for the title, series and grade held, including posi! tive education and certification(s) that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply.
(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation.
(2) Employees who are 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.
(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification(s) that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the require! d equivalent credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) If a BRS who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
e.
Non-Certified BRS Hired Temporary.
Non-certified BRSs may be given a temporary appointment to positions at or above the GS-11 level not to exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2). Non-certified employees appointed temporarily as BRSs may not be converted to an appointment at or above the GS-11 level under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) without obtaining a recognized certification.
Physical Requirements.
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency
. BRSs must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j.
GRADE REQUIREMENTS.
a.
Definitions
. !
(1)
Affiliated
. Means affiliated for the purposes of health care training.
(2)
Creditable Experience
.
(a) Knowledge of Professional Blind Rehabilitation Practice. To be creditable, the experience must demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current blind and vision rehabilitation practice as outlined in the current scope and standards of practice for blind and vision rehabilitation. One or more of the following may have evidenced this:
1. The equivalent of 1 year of active practice. Active practice means paid/non-paid employment (VA or Non-VA) as a BRS
or BROS.
2. Academic course work leading to an advanced degree in blind or vision rehabilitation or related therapeutic intervention program.
(b)
Quality of Experience
.
1. Work as a graduate BRS directly related to the position to be fill! ed; and
2. The work to be credited is at a level comparable to BRS experience at the same or next lower grade level than the grade level being considered for placement.
3. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
(3)
Part-Time Experience
. Part-time experience as a professional BRS is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a BRS would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work.
(4)
Graduate Education
. Graduate degrees may be substituted for experience through the GS-11 level. Graduate degrees must be from a college or university that was regionally or nationally accredited at ! the time the candidate completed the program. To substitute the graduat! e degree, it must have been completed after the individual met the basic requirements for appointment.
(5)
Content Specialty
. Specialized content areas of blind and vision rehabilitation include, but are not limited to, orientation and mobility, low vision therapy, vision rehabilitation therapy, manual skills, technology and computer access for the people who are visually impaired, and case-management for disability due to blindness.
b.
Grade Determinations
. In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. This criteria is consistent with the 2 grade interval structure for professional/scientific professions found in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G17.
GS-11
(Full performance level for BRSs who are not VIST Coordinators)
(a)
Certification
. Required at this level and above.
Staff BRS
. Candidates must meet the certification requirements in paragraph 2c(1) above. BRS (GS-11) must have one certification from ACVREP or a related, equivalent, professional certification.
(b)
Education and Experience
. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of 1 year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade; or 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree; or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly related field. In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-9 level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following professional KSAs:
(c)
Demonstrated KSAs
:
1. Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation.
2. Ability to properly assess a wide variety of patients having div! erse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision! rehabilitation therapeutic interventions.
3. Ability to write a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable, measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes.
4. Knowledge of teaching methods and learning principles.
5. Ability to employ interventions, unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan.
6. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for patients within scope of practice, making adaptations and modifications as required.
7. Ability to plan, direct, and distribute work assignments to volunteers, assistants and, interns and/or BRSs at lower grade levels and perform assigned mentoring duties for staff, students, and interns.
(d)
Assignments
. This is the full performance level for BRSs who are not VIST Co! ordinators. Typical assignments at this grade level include but are not limited to the following:
1.
Staff BRS.
In addition to providing services to Veterans described at the GS-9 level, individuals at this level have duties that typically include the following: serving as a consultant to blind/low vision rehabilitation and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area; serving as a mentor to other therapists who are evaluating and treating patients in the content specialty or program area; serving as internship supervisor to students who are completing their supervised practice, providing in-service and clinical training programs in the content specialty or program area.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Applicant's education and experience will be reviewed by a Professional Standards Board in determining the! grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may! be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE:
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. You can verify accreditation at the following website:
http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency.
Veteran's Preference
: When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible
Member 4 copy
of DD-214(s) showing all dates of service as well as character of service (honorable, general, etc.). Additionally, veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more must also submit a copy of their official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or from a branch of the Armed ! Forces, certifying their service-connected disability and/or their receipt of compensation for service-connected disability. If the military member is within 120 days of separation and does not yet have a DD214, the member may instead submit any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed.
Veterans with service-connected disability of less than 10%, nonservice-connected disability, and Purple Heart recipients, as-well-as those claiming derived preference for a spouse, widow or widower, or natural mother, should refer to and submit a completed SF 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and required documentation with your application materials.
For more information on Veterans' Preference, go to
http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vets! info.asp
.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Comp! lete application packages will be reviewed to determine if the basic qualifications for this position have been met. A listing of candidates who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the hiring facility where the credentialing and privileging screening process is completed.
BENEFITS:
Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. In addition to traditional "dollars and cents" benefits, we offer a range of benefits to help balance work and life. For more information please visit us at
http://www.va.gov/jobs/job_benefits/benefits.asp
.
OTHER INFORMATION:
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members:
Please visit the
VA for Vets
site for career-search tools for Veterans seekin! g employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This is not a guarantee and must be requested in advance.
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- .
If you were eligible to this career, please email us your resume, with salary requirements and a resume to Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you interested on this career just click on the Apply button, you will be redirected to the official website
This career starts available on: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:46:14 GMT