Summary The Creative Arts Therapist (Clinical Education Coordinator) serves as an advanced clinician and the facility lead for clinical education within RT/CAT Service. Provides evidence-based creative arts therapy interventions (art, music, dance/movement, drama) across inpatient, residential, outpatient, and telehealth settings, and designs, implements, and evaluates the service's clinical education program, including student placements, preceptor development, and staff competencies. Responsibilities Includes independent assessments, treatment planning, implementation of creative arts therapy interventions, outcome evaluation, documentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and consults/referrals across SLVHCS care settings (inpatient, CLC, outpatient, HBPC, telehealth). Clinical Care Independently conducts comprehensive assessments and develops individualized treatment plans for Veterans with complex medical and behavioral health needs. Provides individual and group creative arts therapy interventions to address functional domains (cognitive, emotional, physical, social). Documents care in CPRS per VA standards and participates in interdisciplinary treatment planning. Clinical Education & Training Serves as SLVHCS Clinical Education Coordinator for RT/CAT, managing student placements and affiliation agreements. Develops learning objectives, competency checklists, and evaluation tools; trains staff preceptors. Coordinates continuing education and competency-based training for RT/CAT staff. Program Development & Quality Leads QI initiatives and program evaluations; analyzes outcome data to improve service delivery. Ensures compliance with VA policy, national standards of practice, and facility procedures. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:30am-4pm (Subject to change based on facility needs.) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 01474F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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: 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 creative arts therapist (art), creative arts therapist (dance/movement), creative arts therapist (drama), and creative arts therapist (music): (1) Creative Arts Therapist (Art) (a) 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, (b) 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. (2) Creative Arts Therapist {Dance/Movement) (a) A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major or an emphasis in dance therapy or dance/movement therapy. The degree must be approved by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADT A). OR, (b) A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a board-certified dance/movement therapist (BC-DMT) approved by the Dance Movement Therapy Certification Board (DMTCB). If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. NOTE. Dance/movement therapy coursework that began on or after March 15, 2013, must have been approved by the ADTA subcommittee for the approval of alternate route courses. (3) Creative Arts Therapist (Drama) (a) A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a drama degree program approved by the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADT A). OR, (b) A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a registered drama therapist (ROT). The ROT is granted by the NADTA and indicates that one has met the educational requirements and achieved competency in the practice of drama therapy. If hired under this education, the registration cannot be waived. (4) Creative Arts Therapist (Music) (a) A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, in music therapy, or in music with an emphasis in music therapy. The degree must be approved by the National Association for Schools of Music and/or the American Music Therapy Association. OR, (b) A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. (c) Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. The private organization must deem such education at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Registration (1) Creative Arts Therapy (Art). Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 1b, registration cannot be waived. (2) Creative Arts Therapy (Drama). Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration as an ROT. If hired under paragraph 2b, registration cannot be waived. Certification (a) Creative Arts Therapy (Dance/Movement). Applicants must be board-certified in dance/movement therapy by the DMTCB. If hired under paragraph 3b, certification cannot be waived. (b) Creative Arts Therapy (Music). Applicants must be a MT-BC approved by the CBMT. If hired under paragraph 4b, certification cannot be waived. Grade Determinations: Creative Arts Therapist (Art, Dance/Movement, Drama, Music) Creative Arts Therapist (Clinical Education Coordinator), GS-12 (a) Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: i- Ability to develop, maintain, and coordinate clinical education programs and assignments for student affiliations with universities, colleges, and other academic organizations with shared values, to include the formulation of academic agreements, MOUs, and student assignments. ii. Knowledge of current treatment approaches (evidence-based and best practice) across multiple areas of practice. iii. Ability to educate others in the application of specialized and technically advanced knowledge, skills, and treatment approaches and to clinically guide staff in using these tools. iv. Ability to provide educational opportunities and consultation to other health care practitioners and stakeholders about clinical practice and areas of expertise. v. Ability to synthesize clinical processes and practice to guide and train the students' clinical/educational experience and skills. vi. Knowledge of local and national licensing and certification boards and committees to include guidelines and requirements. vii. Ability to apply scientific methods, research design, and statistics. Preferred Experience: 1-3 years of direct therapeutic experience delivering individual and group creative arts therapy in clinical or hospital environments. Background in developing or overseeing internship programs 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. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Education 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.
