Summary This position provides speech and language pathology services within the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services department of the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System. Responsibilities NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Duties include, but are not limited to: Completes assessments and treatments in both outpatient face-to-face and virtual environments, and delivers care in acute care, community living centers, and hospice care units, supporting the facility's SLP team. Collaborates with treatment team members, veterans, their families/significant others, and other health care providers to coordinate comprehensive care for veterans. Communicates effectively using electronic medical records and other written/verbal sources to promote positive communication, collaboration, and teamwork. Develops care plans based on evaluations to address speech, language, voice, cognitive, and swallowing disorders. Establishes and maintains communication with patients, families, and caregivers as needed, and adjusts treatment plans in response to patients' progress. Conducts modified barium swallow studies in accordance with VHA regulations regarding fluoroscopy safety and educates medical center staff about speech and language pathology. Participates in department and facility-level quality improvement processes. Manages consultations to ensure compliance with VHA regulations regarding consult management and scheduling. Completes facility and VISN telehealth education to facilitate safe and compliant virtual care for rural veterans. Interprets findings from examinations and evaluations, selects appropriate outcome tests and measures, and integrates findings into care plans for a diverse veteran population. Determines prognosis by incorporating examination findings with veterans' preferences to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes. Develops and promotes new and existing treatment programs, incorporating clinical practice guidelines and evidence-based support, and stays knowledgeable about relevant research. When appropriate, refers veterans to other professionals or services. Educates current and potential referral sources about the scope of speech pathology services and the process of initiating these services. Utilizes appropriate screening tools, communicates screening results and recommendations to veterans and health care teams, and documents evaluation results, treatment plans, veterans' responses to treatment, and education provided, in accordance with facility guidelines, The Joint Commission requirements, Long-Term Care Institute requirements, and ASHA guidelines. Informs veterans about the relative benefits and risks of interventions, re-evaluates during the intervention process, documents goal progress and outcomes, modifies interventions to reflect status changes and response to intervention, and discontinues services when goals are achieved, maximum benefits are reached, the veteran does not desire to continue, or there is a failure to demonstrate continued progress towards goals. Prepares and implements discharge plans that address follow-up resources and identify outcome measures between initial evaluations and the discontinuance of services Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Telework, if approved, will be on an Ad-hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized 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. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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: SLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education and Experience: A master's degree, or its equivalent, in speech-language pathology, communication disorders or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and one year of creditable experience (see paragraph 2.g.). OR A doctoral degree in speech-language pathology, communication disorders and sciences or a related field, from an accredited college or university. Licensure: Individuals must hold a full, current and unrestricted license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for SLP licensure may be appointed to a temporary position as a graduate SLP under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (c)(2). Individuals appointed as graduate SLPs may not be promoted to the GS-12 level without being fully licensed. 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: Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-11: Education: None beyond the basic requirements. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of principles and techniques in assessing and treating disorders of speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing. Knowledge of instrumentation and technologies for assessing and treating communication and swallowing disorders. Ability to adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions, needs and goals. Speech-Language Pathologist, GS-12: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-11 level, completing one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower level and possessing a full, current and unrestricted license to practice speech-language pathology. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in applying principles and techniques of diagnosis and treatment associated with contemporary speech-language pathology following evidence-based practice for adult patients exhibiting the full range of speech to the full range of patient populations. Skill in administering and interpreting instrumental swallowing evaluations. Ability to assess the effectiveness of clinical outcomes and adapt clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate unique patient conditions. Preferred Experience: Experience performing modified barium swallow, providing outpatient services and utilizing telehealth technology for outpatient care. 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. 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 Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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.
