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: Citizen of the United States (U.S.). (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a))
- Education: The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist:
- 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
- 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.
- Certification: Required Certification(a)Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 4b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived.
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:
Recreation Therapist, GS-12
Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of two years of progressively complex experience, which includes one year equivalent to the next lower grade directly related to the position being filled.
AND,
Certification: Additional certification in a specialty treatment area in recreation therapy, such as, but not limited to: Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation, Geriatrics, Developmental Disabilities, Behavioral Health, Community Inclusion Services, Aquatic Exercise Therapy/Aquatic Therapy, Adapted Sports, Assisted Technology, Social Skills, etc., or in a directly related field such as, but not limited to: acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, dementia, dialectical behavioral therapy, gambling disorder, motivational interviewing, and/or wellness recovery action plan facilitator.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of best practice and evidence-based recreation therapy across multiple areas of practice.
- Ability to perform clinical services and balance organizational responsibilities while developing and implementing effective strategies with great autonomy, at a level compatible with the critical necessity for accuracy and completion.
- Ability to adapt assessment tools and treatment to the complexity of the diagnosis or disability and demonstrate the clinical reasoning necessary to identify the need for further in- depth specific assessment.
- Skill in developing, implementing, and modifying recreation therapy treatment plans in response to changing medical, physical, mental, psychological and/or psychosocial conditions, as well as comorbidities.
- Ability to provide clinical guidance using the advanced knowledge of best practice and evidence-based recreation therapy implementation across multiple areas of practice.
- Knowledge of how recreation therapy impacts revenue resource allocation, as it relates to complex diagnosis, treatment, and diagnostic coding.
Preferred Experience: Training and facilitation experience. Program coordination or management.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range 12.
Physical Requirements: The work entails no special physical demands although some physical effort may be required relative to moving equipment and supplies throughout the department and to various parts of the facility as necessitated by educational programming. Work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing and moving education equipment. Manual dexterity is required to work educational equipment systems and controls. Fieldwork will involve travel (up to half of the time), providing training, attending meetings, or gathering information.