Recreation Therapist

Summary

Serves as Recreation Therapist Program Coordinator for the VA San Diego SCI/D Service, providing advanced rehabilitation care to inpatient and outpatient Veterans and Active Duty members with spinal cord injuries and multiple complex conditions. Oversees recreation therapy services, conducts assessments, develops treatment approaches, coordinates interdisciplinary care, manages workflows, mentors staff, supports outreach efforts, and serves as a regional clinical resource across the VA.

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Duties

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Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Conducts comprehensive recreation therapy assessments across cognitive, sensory, social, affective, physical, and leisure functioning domains for Veterans and Active Duty members with SCI/D and complex medical conditions.
• Develops individualized, evidence-based treatment plans with measurable therapeutic goals and objectives in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members.
• Provides advanced therapeutic interventions utilizing activity analysis, behavioral interventions, adaptive techniques, and therapeutic procedures to support functional recovery, coping skills, and community reintegration.
• Designs and implements treatment strategies focused on stress reduction, pain management, motor learning, social skills development, self-esteem enhancement, adjustment to disability, and grief/loss support.
• Utilizes assistive and adaptive technology, aquatic therapy, fitness and wellness programming, adapted sports, and community reintegration planning to meet individualized patient needs.
• Orders, evaluates, and recommends adaptive sports and rehabilitation equipment, modifications, and assistive devices based on interdisciplinary recommendations and patient-centered goals.
• Reviews recreation therapy consults, performs comprehensive evaluations, and monitors patient progress to determine continuation, modification, alternative interventions, or discharge from services.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation including assessments, progress notes, care plans, consults, and therapeutic encounter documentation within the electronic medical record system.
• Participates in quality improvement initiatives and utilizes automated data systems and quantitative analysis to evaluate treatment outcomes, protocol effectiveness, and patient safety trends.
• Serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in SCI/D recreation therapy by providing clinical guidance, mentorship, and education to staff, students, and interdisciplinary team members.
• Coordinates recreation therapy services across SCI/D hub and spoke networks, outpatient clinics, and community-based programs to ensure continuity of care and successful patient transitions.
• Facilitates Veteran participation in adaptive sports programs, national rehabilitation events, and community reintegration activities.
• Collaborates with community organizations, the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE), and interdisciplinary healthcare teams to coordinate patient care and therapeutic programming.
• Performs administrative and program coordination responsibilities including Joint Commission preparation, strategic planning, performance improvement activities, staff training, and interdisciplinary program support.
• Serves as a designated purchase cardholder in compliance with Federal and VA Acquisition Regulations, including procurement documentation, reconciliation of charges, IFCAP order entry, and records maintenance.
• Exercises independent professional judgment and advanced clinical reasoning in managing complex rehabilitation cases involving SCI/D, TBI, polytrauma, amputation, PTSD, neurological disorders, and chronic medical conditions.
• Participates in interdisciplinary treatment planning conferences, care coordination meetings, and collaborative patient care activities to support comprehensive rehabilitation outcomes.
• Ensures compliance with infection control, environmental safety, OSHA, emergency preparedness, and VA privacy and computer security requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm (Subject to change based upon the needs of the agency.)

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.

Qualifications

Resume Requirement : Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week.

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. Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: possessing a degree in an approved degree program by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC):
  • 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.
  • Applicants must be certified in Recreation Therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC.
  • OR
  • 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a recreation or creative arts therapist, 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 registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Preferred Experience:

Experience working with people with SCI/D or severe disability

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

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: 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

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.