Lead Recreation Therapist

The Recreation Therapist (RT) is assigned to Geriatrics and Extended Care under Acute Nursing to provide recreation therapy and diversional activities for the residents of the CLC and medical foster home program for the Columbia VA Medical Center in Columbia, SC.

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 recreation therapist, creative arts therapist (art), creative arts therapist (dance/movement), creative arts therapist (drama), and creative arts therapist (music)
• Recreation Therapist (a) 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.
• 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.
• OR
• 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.
• OR,
• A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a registered drama therapist (RDT). The RDT 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. 3
• OR,
• 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.
• 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

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).

Certification (1) Required Certification (a) Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 3b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived.

Grade Determinations: Recreation Therapist, GS-12 (a) 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,
(b) 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.
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
i. Knowledge of best practice and evidence-based recreation therapy across
multiple areas of practice.
ii. 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.
iii. 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.
iv. 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.
v. Ability to provide clinical guidance using the advanced knowledge of best practice and evidence-based recreation therapy implementation across multiple areas of practice.
vi. Knowledge of how recreation therapy impacts revenue resource allocation, as it relates to complex diagnosis, treatment, and diagnostic coding.

Preferred Experience: Long term care

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the range of GS-12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Responsibilities:

***This is an Open Continuous Announcement. *** This Vacancy announcement has been extended until April 18, 2025 Qualified Applicants will be considered and referred every 2 weeks or until position (s) are filled. This position may close without prior notice***

VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY

Major duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices of Recreation Therapy and the use of recreation modalities to treat the physical, mental, emotional, biopsychosocial, and leisure needs of patients. The Recreation Therapist provides treatment interventions incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient treatment services. She/he independently applies evidence-based best practice therapeutic interventions.
• Demonstrates advanced practice skills and sound clinical judgment across many areas of recreation and creative arts therapies. Leads are responsible for completing complex evaluations and treatments and assessments.
• Responsible for completing recreation assessments on veterans, as well as, completing MDS assessments.
• Apply advanced evaluation methodologies and treatment theories in the provision of care to a vast array of patients with differing functional impairments. They provide clinical practice guidance for other recreation and/or creative arts therapy staff.
• Monitor workflow, make work assignments, provide input on performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient flow of patient care and assist with the monthly veteran activities. The lead also works with volunteer services on renewal of certain subscriptions, equipment, snacks etc.
• Coordinate with volunteer services for volunteers and veteran items as it deals with the budget as it relates to recreation and any donated items as it pertains to the veterans. The lead may provide primary reports to the Associate Nurse Executive of CLC/GEC for the daily delivery of department programs, reporting, staffing, and scheduling.
• Provide training for the department's auxiliary staff, volunteers, and trainees and instruction in maintenance of all service equipment and coordinate patient care plans to reduce redundancies and delays in patient treatment.
• Ability to effectively communicate objectives, goals, program, standards, practices, and procedures.
• Ensure reports are monitored, communicate the status progress of work, evaluate program quality to ensure that methods, deadlines, and standards are met, along with prioritizing workload.
• Ability to interpret clinically appropriate data and make recommendations to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within services.
• Ability to be responsible for assignment of work to be performed, competency assessment, assist in the selection of staff, recommendation of awards.
• Knowledgeable to follow national and facility guidelines (i.e., SOPs. National directives). The lead will also be part of the interdisciplinary team, and act subject matter expert in recreation, and may act as a liaison between specialty care and other areas that would affect coordination of care, healthcare access, assessment, planning and evaluating future needs.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 544-58258F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $86,962