Recreation Therapist

Summary Recreation Therapists provide treatment interventions incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient treatment services. Responsibilities Duties will vary by grade. At the GS-11 full performance level of the grade, the incumbent serves as a member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team recommending treatment objectives and goals. Responsible for providing assessment and treatment interventions. Employs therapeutic objectives which are complex because of the severe and multiple disabilities regularly encountered. Duties will include: Interprets and administers physicians' recreation therapy consults/orders, schedules patient for treatment and integrates recreation/creative arts interventions with other treatments in order to achieve the goals established for the patient. Develops treatment plans and administers therapeutic recreation interventions which are directed to such goals as sensory integration, ambulation, diminishing emotional stress, community re-entry, reality orientation, muscular dysfunction and reorientation, treatment of psychosocial dysfunction, providing a sense of achievement and progress and channeling energies into acceptable forms of behavior. Teaches independent living skills, social interaction skills, adjustment and coping skills, pre-vocational or work adjustment skills, power wheelchair, manual wheelchair and other mobility device community training, aquatic therapy techniques, adaptive sports and community transportation planning and safety. Interviews Veterans with severe and/or multiple diagnoses that require unconventional interview approaches and treatments to devise effective methods and procedures. Assesses the need for and the patient's ability to use adaptive equipment including ADL aides, power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs and other mobility devices, assistive technology, etc. in the community setting. Administers, scores or interprets a variety of creative, leisure and motor skills assessments. Evaluates the assigned patient's mental, emotional, social and physical capabilities to determine the patient's needs in recreation therapy. Develops therapeutic programs for various types of disabilities which include psychiatric diagnoses, dementia, neuromuscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular diseases, visual impairment and patients with multiple diagnoses. Administers mental and physical assessments for patients with severe and/or multiple diagnoses. As an expert in recreation therapy, oversees the administration and interpretation of assessments. Guides recreation therapy assistants in the correct methods of administering and interpretation of assessment results. Functions as a core team member of a clinical multi-disciplinary team for the purpose of providing total health care delivery to the patient, and continuity of care by sharing ideas and exchanging pertinent information. Coordinates a wide range of interventions with other services in the development of appropriate patient treatment programs. Documents patient care using the electronic medical record and updates per medical documentation policy to reflect current status of patients. Prepares and submits initial, progress and discharge notes (in accordance with service policy. Performs regular assessments and leisure diagnostic evaluations to determine the appropriate treatment in conjunction with the interdisciplinary treatment team/physician. Discusses progress with treatment team, suggests adjustments to interventions based on sound professional arguments. Frequently selects, adapts, and/or adjusts recreation modalities in accordance with rehabilitation goals. Independently modifies techniques and develops new approaches as necessary to ensure realization of patient treatment goals. Responsible for one or more programs such as Physical Fitness Reactivation, Community Reintegration, Leisure Education and Skill Development, Student Education Programs, Sports Athletic Program, Whole Health/Wellness, and Quality Management. Participates in ward rounds with ward physicians and other members of the treatment team. He/She also explains and discusses both theoretical and practical aspects of reaction therapy treatment and/or therapeutic techniques with various groups within the medical center. Work Schedule: Tuesday-Friday, 7:30am-5:00pm, every other Saturday (Wk 1 of PP) 8am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: See above Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 ( 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). 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. Must possess a valid drivers' license and be cleared to drive a government vehicle. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education (transcripts with confer date required with application package): The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist: 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, (b) 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 (Proof of certification required with application package): 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. Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the 5 eligibility requirements for registration and/or certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registration and/or certification during this temporary full-time appointment may be terminated. The exception only applies to positions at the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be registered and/or certified. Failure to Obtain Registration/Certification. In all cases, recreation and creative arts therapists must actively pursue meeting registration and/or certification requirements, starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unregistered and/or uncertified recreation or creative arts therapist with the written requirement to obtain registration/certification, the date by which the registration and/or certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming registered and/or certified by the deadline. Failure to become registered and/or certified within two years from the date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0638 recreation and creative arts therapist occupation, and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credential. A recreation or creative arts therapist who fails to maintain the required registration and/or certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. 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: GS-7 Recreation Therapist (Entry Level) Experience/Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-9 Recreation Therapist (Developmental Level) Experience/Education. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level, or a master's degree in recreation therapy may be substituted for the required one year of professional recreation therapist experience. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of assessment tools and treatment for the diagnosis or disability of the patient. Knowledge to interpret and apply all health and safety regulations, to minimize and mitigate risks in the provisions of patient care, and environmental maintenance. Ability to effectively communicate and educate patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the treatment process. Knowledge to apply evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. GS-11 Recreation Therapist (Full Performance Level) Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level. Must Be Certified at this Level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to adapt assessment tools and treatment interventions to address the complexity of the diagnosis or disabilities and demonstrate the clinical reasoning necessary to identify the need for further in-depth specific assessment of function and utilization of unconventional methods and techniques. Knowledge to independently interpret provider referrals and consults; and apply all health and safety regulations to minimize and mitigate risks in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. Skill in effectively communicating and educating, in a clear and concise manner, with patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the interdisciplinary treatment process. Skill in independently utilizing appropriate screening and evaluation techniques required to appropriately provide direct patient care in areas such as, but not limited to recommendations for recreation therapy assistive devices, including fit and function. Skill in independently applying evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions. Knowledge of the principles and techniques in recreation therapy assessment and the treatment of recreation, leisure, and biopsychosocial functional deficits. Preferred Experience: Experience in providing therapeutic based interventions to elderly patients in inpatient hospital units, long-term care, or hospice facilities, including planning, and conducting therapy for patients with dementia, ALS, stroke, brain injury, or other neurological conditions. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 lbs), pushing (2 hrs), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking and standing (2 hrs), crawling and kneeling (1 hr), repeated bending (1 hr), operation of a motor vehicle, near and far vision correctable, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, mental and emotional stability, exposure to outside and inside environments, working closely with others, working alone. 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: 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: 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. 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.