Summary
The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (Orientation & Mobility) position located at the New Jersey VA Healthcare System provides care and services to enhance the quality of life for individuals with vision loss through participation in a comprehensive and individualized rehabilitation program, so they may successfully re-integrate back into their community and family environments.
Clarification from the agency
This is an Open and Continuous announcement for public candidates. Applicants will be reviewed and referred every 2 weeks until the position has been filled or until the announcement closes. This announcement is open to US Citizens.
Duties
The primary purpose of this position is to provide vision rehabilitation services for Veterans and Service Members with visual impairment. This Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (BRS) is an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) position. They possess professional knowledge of and skill in applying concepts, principles, and practices of vision rehabilitation to include assessment, treatment and follow up.
A BRS functions independently in several settings including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, educational institutions, and home environments. The work environment may be in an office, clinical setting, classroom, private home, VA grounds, nursing home, community sites, and hospitals.
This position works in both an inpatient and outpatient setting within the New Jersey VA HCS as well as the Lyons, East Orange, and Brick Outpatient Clinics. This position does require occasional transport of Veterans in the community and other locations as needed and home visits.
The incumbent functions as a member of an interdisciplinary team responsible for the rehabilitation process including conducting a problems-based needs assessment and identifying Veteran specific goals, assisting in the development of an individualized treatment plan and implementation of that plan, counseling, and recommendation of prosthetic and adaptive equipment to best meet the Veteran's goals. The incumbent is responsible for cross-training and teaching in integrated technology. The incumbent is responsible as a primary instructor in Orientation & Mobility and as needed in areas with additional certifications and cross training.
The BRS provides direct patient care and support services to an adult population of Veterans and Service Members. Within the broad categorizations of the population serviced, the incumbent must tailor rehabilitation care and support services to meet the needs of the individual Veteran. This includes the responsibility for overseeing the assessment of each patient's needs and the delivery of services which are responsive to the concerns of individual patients to the extent possible.
Incumbent is responsible for intake, problem-based needs assessment, capabilities, and limitation, setting SMART goals and treatment planning for individuals with visual impairment caused by injury or disease. The O&M Blind Rehabilitation Specialist works as a part of an interdisciplinary team. The incumbent also coordinates care which includes maintaining effective communication and team cohesion within the BRS CoC to maximize Veterans' blind rehabilitation outcomes. As a team coordinator, the O&M Blind Rehabilitation Specialist is responsible for developing and coordinating the Veteran's Interdisciplinary Plan of Care (IPOC) with input from the Veteran and all team members.
The O&M Blind Rehabilitation Specialist maintains close communication with all members of the interdisciplinary team including other blind rehabilitation specialists serving as subject matter expert in the primary discipline assigned, coordinating with other blind rehabilitation disciplines, VIST, BROS, Optometry, psychology, social work, recreation, primary care providers, nursing staff, other therapies and additional professional and community partners to ensure the needs and goals of the Veteran are met.
The essential elements are knowledge of the administration and interpretations of assessments and evaluations, treatment, and management in vision rehabilitation that provides therapies to Veterans with visual impairment to use adaptive skills, techniques, and devices necessary to cope with the demands of everyday life. These needs constitute significant physical, emotional, and social disabilities.
The BRS studies visual and non-visual barriers and related processes that result in activity limitations, participation restrictions, loss of vocational and avocational opportunities, and psychological distress. In providing direct services, they use foundational and evidence-based practice knowledge and skill sets to determine diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and instrumentation to identify and resolve or minimize these barriers to independence and safety.
The BRS must identify the difficulties confronting the Veteran and the barriers to treatment and then develop and provide intervention designed to enhance the blind and vision rehabilitation process. The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist develops a close rapport with assigned Veterans. When assigned the role of Team Coordinator, the O&M Blind Rehabilitation Specialist becomes the primary advocate for the Veteran, communicating the Veteran's feelings and concerns to other members of the rehabilitation team.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Available based on agency needs
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 49320F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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 probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements
Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g., of this part.)
Education (Transcripts Required)
(a) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, closely related program in rehabilitation, special education for the visually impaired, family and consumer science education, or technology and industrial arts education
OR,
(b) A bachelor'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:
- 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).
- One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 -18 semester hours).
- A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree.
- Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in blind rehabilitation.
Certification-(Submit)- Required at the GS-11 grade level and above.
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, closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation.
NOTE: The ACVREP administers four certification programs: Low Vision Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Assistive Technology Instruction and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. They may then use the designation for the certification they hold (as listed in subparagraph (2)) below:
2. BRS 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 - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT).
(c) Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT).
(d) Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS).
Loss of Credential
(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.
Grandfathering Provision. All BRSs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification(s) 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 to it, the following provisions apply:
- Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation.
- 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.
- 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 required equivalent credential(s) as a condition of employment in the occupation.
- 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.
English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.
Blind Rehabilitation Specialist, GS-11
Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade. OR
Education. Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree; or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly related field.
Certification. Certification is required at this grade level and above. Staff BRS candidates must meet the certification requirements as noted in the basic requirements (1) above. BRS at the GS-11 grade level must have at least one certification from ACVREP or a related, equivalent, professional certification. BRS (Orientation & Mobility) must have certification granted by ACVREP as a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS) to be considered for this position.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation.
(b) Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions.
(c) Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable, measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes.
(d) Skill in instructional methods and learning principles.
(e) Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan.
(f) Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within scope of practice, making adaptations and modifications as required.
Assignments. This is the full performance level for BRSs who are not VIST Coordinators. Assignments at this grade level include the following:
Staff BRS. In addition to providing services to Veterans described at the GS-9 grade 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 Veterans in the specialty area; serving as a mentor to other therapists who are evaluating and treating Veterans in the content specialty or program area; serving as internship supervisor to students who are completing their supervised practice; and providing in-service and clinical training programs in the content specialty or program area.
References: VA Handbook 5005/109, Part II, Appendix G41
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/.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
Creditable Experience
To be creditable, the experience must demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current blind and vision rehabilitation practice, as outlined in the current scope and standards of practice for blind and vision rehabilitation. Applicants may have one or more of the following: (1) The equivalent of one 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 closely related rehabilitation therapeutic intervention program.
Quality of Experience
Work as a graduate BRS directly related to the position to be filled; and 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. 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.
Part-Time Experience
Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work
Graduate Education
Master's[/Doctoral] degrees may be substituted for experience through the GS-11 grade level [(Master's degree up to the GS-9 grade level, Doctoral degree up to the GS-11 grade level).] 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 degree, it must have been completed after the individual met the basic requirements for appointment.
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.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Proof of Orientation & Mobility Specialist Certification
- Resume
- Transcript
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (VA)
- Proof of Orientation & Mobility Specialist Certification
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 06/26/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12363126.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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