Summary This position is located in the Recreation Therapy Section, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) at the VA New Jersey Health Care System (VA NJHCS).The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Recreation Therapist for the Recreation Therapy Section provides services at the East Orange and Lyons, New Jersey Medical Centers. Responsibilities The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Recreation Therapist for the Recreation Therapy Section, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) at the VA New Jersey Health Care System (VA NJHCS). The Recreation Therapy Section provides services at the East Orange and Lyons, New Jersey Medical Centers and is operational 7-days a week, 13-hours a day, and holidays. The section has multiple irregular tours of duty that are utilized to meet patient and program needs. The incumbent is responsible for supervision, administrative management, and direction of the Recreation Therapy section which includes 26 employees: (1) Lead Therapists (GS-12), (7) Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS) (GS-11), (9) Recreation Therapists (GS-11), (3) Creative Arts Therapists (GS-11)- (Music Therapist, Art Therapist, Dance/Movement Therapist), (5) Recreation Therapy Assistants (GS-6), and a (1) Secretary (GS-5) as well as masters and bachelors level trainees, approximately 500 regular and occasional volunteers, along with planning, formulation and execution of policies and practices. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Clinical: Supervises and assigns work to Team Leaders, Recreation Therapists, Creative Arts Therapists, Recreation Therapy Assistants, Secretary, students, and volunteers. Manages a diverse therapeutic recreation program using evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines. Develops and initiates new treatment programs based on best practices in the field. Evaluates programs to ensure there is proper coordination with the overall delivery of health care. Monitors and evaluates clinical performances of staff to ensure that performance requirements are met. Reviews work by observation, review of documentation, reports. Education: Completes Medical Center assigned mandatory trainings and in-service activities and enforces compliance with section staff. Identifies and develops educational competencies of employees and provides opportunities for professional development. Creates an environment for learning, mentors and coaches section staff. Stays abreast of all new developments in Recreation therapy. Develops, maintains, and coordinates clinical education programs for student affiliations with universities/colleges Administrative: Adheres with Medical Center policies and conveys new or updated policy information to the section. Promotes effective communication with all patients, co-workers, caregivers, treatment team members, Medical Center staff and community partners. Establishes section-level goals and priorities and ensures that Recreation Therapy/ Creative Arts Therapy services are carried out, directing staff toward the broad goals of effectively treating patients. Performs a full range of supervisory duties. Creates and reviews position descriptions / functional statements and performance standard plans. Acknowledges and praises individual and team accomplishments. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. 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). Education: The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist: (a) 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, (b) 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. Required Certification:(a) Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired as above, certification cannot be waived. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403.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 (6/7/2019), 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: (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) 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: Supervisory Recreation Therapist: GS-13 (a) Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level (GS-12). -AND- (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: i. Ability to provide treatment in complex cases and work with great independence. ii. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions. iii. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems and use data to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service. iv. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers, to include conflict management. v. Ability to utilize evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in a professional area and to guide the staff in applying these tools.vi. Knowledge of organizational theories and strategies to positively impact the overall goals and objectives within the service.vii. Knowledge related to administrative functions, such as fiscal, material supply, equipment management, and clinical and program management. Loss of Credential. A recreation or creative arts therapist who fails to maintain the required registration and/or certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. References: VA Handbook 5005/111, Part 2, Appendix G-60, dated June 7, 2019.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Creditable Experience. (1) Knowledge of Current Professional Recreation Therapy or Creative Arts Therapy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities (also referred to as "clinical competencies") associated with current professional recreation or creative arts therapy practices. Evidence of such experience includes private practice, U.S. military services, local/state/federal government organizations, for profit/non-profit organizations, health care, or educational facilities. Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to the next lower grade level. Experience satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which may be paid or non-paid employment as a recreation or creative arts therapist. Part-time Experience. Part-time experience as a recreation or creative arts therapist is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time work week. For example, a recreation or creative arts therapist employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one work week credit for each two weeks of service. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily very active in nature with some sedentary work involved when performing administrative tasks. Work requires physical health, normal use of arms and legs, and good visual and auditory acuity. Prolonged standing, bending, lifting, reaching, pushing and walking are regular. The work can involve regular and recurring physical exertion when facilitating recreation/sports and fitness activities. Moderate to heavy lifting (between 5-50 pounds) is required. Assisting patients in mobility such as ambulation, transfers or repositioning may occur. It may involve driving motorized vehicles and assisting with transporting patients during community outings. The work involves irregular tours of duty, including day and night shifts, weekend and holiday tours. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
