Occupational Therapist

Summary

Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides primary, mental health and specialty care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings. The CIS OT provides OT therapy program for Veterans enrolled in treatment program and this may include working with Veterans with major mental health diagnosis, cognitive impairment, active substance abuse, and physical disabilities limiting independence in self-care and living skills.

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Duties

Duties include but limited to:

• CIS OT Functions as part of a multidisciplinary Team to help chronically homeless Veterans to obtain and maintain stable housing.
• Incumbent provides independent occupational therapy techniques associated within the occupational therapy scope of practice.
• Staff OTs at this level practice independently and are responsible for performing occupational therapy assessment and treatment interventions.
• Staff OT demonstrates a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures.
• Provides direct patient care as assigned delivering Occupational Therapy services according to program requirements.
• Screens patients for Occupational Therapy services for appropriateness, types of services and rehabilitation potential, with the goal to maximize the Veteran's function and independence.
• Independently develops and implements Occupational Therapy treatment using judgment to modify the treatment as a result of changing medical conditions.
• Evaluates a wide range of patients with complex disabilities to determine level of function using standardized and non-standardized tests.
• Assists multidisciplinary medical team in coordination of patient's treatment and discharge planning.
• Considers the age of the patients in designing treatment plans.
• Communicates with patients, families, treatment team members, and other Medical Center personnel and associates in the community to provide comprehensive services.
• Utilizes aides, students, and volunteers to implement Occupational Therapy services.
• Maintain appropriate program documentation required by the service/section/program assignment.
  
  

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 0800-1630

Compressed/Flexible: No

Telework: No

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 0000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): No

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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.
• 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. 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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: 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).

• 
  
  United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
  
  

(a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist;

NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

or

(b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field;

NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

or

(c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.

Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph [3b(2)] if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix.

• Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
• State
  
  Licensure: Candidates must possess] a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
• 
  
  Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f). [No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English].
  
  

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Occupational Therapist, GS-12 Requirements:

• Education, Experience, and
  
  Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.
  
  

Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to the [experience above, the candidate] must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients.
• Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
• Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. Assignment: [OTs at this level practice independently and are responsible for comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. OTs select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. OTs demonstrate a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. They are assigned to all program areas within VHA and provide professional, independent occupational therapy services. OTs at this level may be given assignments in any area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required on a recurring basis due to the patient population served and complexity of the facility and/or treatment area. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).]
  
  

Preferred Experience: Prefer experience with homeless population. Prefer case management experience. Prefer experience with aging population.



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 a GS-12.



Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.

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