Summary OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans? Responsibilities DUTIES: Exercises independent judgment to administer and interpret art therapy assessments and apply clinical competencies to develop innovative assessment and interview approaches to effectively gather information for therapeutic treatment. Evaluates, analyzes, interprets, and reports assessment data based on functional domains (cognitive, sensory, social, affective, physical, and leisure). Compile pre-evaluation data, interpret medical record information, review therapy prescriptions, and conduct psychosocial and physical evaluations to develop and implement a treatment plan with measurable therapeutic goals and objectives, including scope, duration, and treatment in adherence with Joint Commission and program regulations. Interprets and administers art therapy prescriptions, schedules patients for treatment, and integrates art therapy activities with other treatments to achieve treatment goals. Develop psychosocial activities aimed at coping with frustration, stress, anger, and hostility, promoting the healthy use of leisure time, and improving social interaction skills. They follow all safety guidelines and mitigate risks in the provision of patient care. Conducts and documents timely art therapy assessments using professionally accepted procedures including structured interviews, direct observation, standardized testing, and medical reviews. Plans, implements, and evaluates a wide range of evidence-based art therapy interventions, utilizing appropriate modalities to address treatment needs. Designs art experiences using specific media and processes to provide safe boundaries for patients to explore and address difficult issues. Coordinates a wide range of activities with various staff, service organizations, volunteers, and community groups to develop appropriate activities that support Veteran care. Assists in providing patient coverage for absent staff members to ensure continuity and quality of care. Responsible for following scheduling guidelines, ensuring patients are informed of the place and time of each appointment, and ensuring workload is properly credited. Follows established procedures and policies for hazardous material handling/communication, equipment safety, infection control/universal fluid precautions, and other safety procedures developed for Recreation and Creative Arts Therapies. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday | 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 08878F 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 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: Education: A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy approved by the American Art Therapy Association on or before June 30, 2016. If the degree is received after June 30, 2016, a master's degree or higher from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy, must be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Art Therapy Education: a committee of the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Education Program. -OR- A master's degree in a related field, plus graduate coursework and supervised field experience in art therapy. Acceptable related fields include Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, and Psychiatry, AND must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board. If hired under this education, the registration cannot be waived. Registration: Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 4b(2)(b), registration cannot be waived. In addition to the Basic Requirements you must meet the following Grade Requirements: GS-11 GRADE: Experience: Do you possess at least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level (GS-9) including: Gathering informal art-based assessment of patients' needs, aptitudes, interests, and abilities. Developing and implementing individualized art therapy treatment plans, to include the scope, duration, and frequency of treatment. Developing art therapy programs, interventions, and instructional programs. In addition to the experience, you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to identify current art resources in the community at the time of assessment, for discharge planning purposes. Ability to develop and implement quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety. Knowledge of diagnostic coding and symptoms of diagnoses in the provision o fart therapy. Knowledge of the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states. Ability to demonstrate and educate stakeholders on the value of the creative process as a therapeutic tool. Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflect a trusting, empathetic, and respectful interaction. Skill in collaborating and maintaining liaison with an interdisciplinary team and educating the treatment team on theoretical framework of art therapy interventions. 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-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for 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.
