Rehabilitation Counselor

Summary Provides recovery-oriented rehabilitation counseling services to Veterans in the Substance Use Disorder outpatient program. Delivers vocational and personal adjustment counseling, case coordination, assessments, job readiness training, placement support, and community employer outreach to help Veterans overcome barriers and achieve employment, education, independent living, and recovery goals. Responsibilities The duties for this position include but are not limited to: GS-9 and GS-11 Duties Provides recovery-oriented vocational and personal adjustment counseling to Veterans in the SUD outpatient program. Conducts assessments using record reviews, observations, disability documentation, interviews, and input from Veterans' support systems. Develops, adjusts, and monitors patient-centered recovery plans using SMART goals. Provides case management or case coordination services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary SUD team. Assists Veterans with identifying vocational strengths, interests, skills, barriers, and support needs. Teaches job search skills, resume and application development, interview preparation, and basic computer skills. Coordinates transportation to interviews, hiring events, and other employment-related activities. Completes job analyses to support job coaching, retention services, and successful task performance. Counsels Veterans on workplace soft skills, including personal hygiene, cooperation, following instructions, and use of natural supports. Completes required clinical documentation, charting, peer review activities, and participates in program improvement efforts. GS-9 Duties Provides vocational and personal adjustment counseling under close or general supervision. Provides case management and transferable skills analyses to support employment, education, and independent living goals. Synthesizes assessment and diagnostic information with labor market trends and community resources. Develops customized vocational evaluations based on each Veteran's abilities, aptitudes, interests, values, and preferences. Uses assessment tools, functional capacity information, and vocational preparation data to evaluate skills, residual capacities, accommodation needs, and assistive technology needs. Facilitates job placement through structured job readiness and employment preparation support. Coordinates job search clubs to improve Veterans' self-directed job search activities. Promotes employment programs to community employers under the supervision of certified rehabilitation counselors. Conducts outreach and job development to match Veteran strengths with local workforce needs. Travels to work sites and meets with community employers, as needed. GS-11 Duties Provides therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and evidence-informed or evidence-based rehabilitation modalities. Conducts biopsychosocial assessments and documents personal, vocational, and educational histories. Selects, administers, and interprets vocational instruments to assess abilities, aptitudes, interests, values, preferences, transferable skills, and work resilience. Consults with the interdisciplinary SUD team to determine clinical need for and capacity to benefit from rehabilitation services. Coordinates work restoration and resilience treatment, transitional work placement, supported employment, assistive technology, benefits counseling, and benefits protections. Enhances care coordination by ensuring medical clearance and appropriate timing of rehabilitation interventions. Provides psychoeducational groups on job search skills, employer-desired soft skills, and life skills that foster independence. Procures and manages transitional work agreements with community, state, and federal agencies. Monitors work site compliance with agreements to ensure Veterans are trained and evaluated consistent with industry standards. Devises solutions to reduce or eliminate placement barriers, including modification of environmental or functional demands in work settings. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available, ad-hoc only, as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55967-F (GS-9); 55968-F (GS-11) 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Pre-Employment/Post-Employment Physical Examination: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization. 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 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. A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a rehabilitation counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). If the applicant's degree was granted prior to July 1, 2017, the program must be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education. OR A master's degree in counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). OR A master's or doctoral degree in a related field of study with course content that emphasized rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness, or human development from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA. OR(4) Foreign graduates with a degree acceptable by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). Certification. Current, full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the CRCC to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling. Exceptions for Graduate RCs. RC graduates from an approved counseling or rehabilitation counseling program who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and the additional degree requirements for CRC certification by the CRCC, but do not possess the required certification, may be appointed, pending certification, as a graduate RC on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(a)(1)(D). Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary graduate RC appointments may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, RCs must actively pursue meeting prerequisites for certification starting from the date of their appointment. This includes working towards completion of CRCC's required acceptable employment experience and completing required CRCC documentation to verify employment experience and supervision by a CRC. At the time of appointment, the RC supervisor will provide the RC with the written requirements for certification, including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0101 RC series and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Certification. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required 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). English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-9 Rehabilitation Counselor: Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of human development and behavior, medical, psychosocial, and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals. Knowledge of history, philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling. Ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information in conjunction with labor market trends and community/educational resources to develop an effective individual service delivery plan. Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services. Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement. Knowledge of assessment tools and methods, functional capacity evaluations and specific vocational preparation to evaluate transferrable skills, residual capacities and needs for accommodations and assistive technology. GS-11 Rehabilitation Counselor: Experience. Completion of one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. OR, Education. A doctoral degree in rehabilitation counselor education or related field (e.g. rehabilitation psychology) from a CACREP accredited institution or from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience/education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities, appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community. Knowledge of counseling theory, medical and psychiatric terminology and signs and symptomology of suicidal and homicidal ideations, to communicate appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers in relation to the Veteran and/or his/her family's psychosocial needs and to recommend and help implement suitable treatment plans. Ability to use evidence-based and evidence informed vocational and professional counseling practices to include individual placement and support (IPS), customized employment and supported employment models and motivational interviewing skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community. Knowledge of career development processes and job analysis methodology to determine essential functions of jobs, worksite modifications and/or alternative vocational goals given the work history and residual functional capacities of individuals with disabilities. Ability to administer and interpret a wide variety of assessment methods including transferrable skills and labor market analyses to evaluate for individual interests, aptitudes and abilities and to identify suitable vocational goals for the development of an effective individual service delivery plan. Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities. Knowledge of military culture and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans, particularly combat Veterans, to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work. Preferred Experience: Prior experience working in a Vocational Rehabilitation setting. Prior experience working in a substance use disorders treatment setting or population. 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-09 to GS-11. See Physical Requirements below, contained in the 'Additional Information' section. 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: If your school was accredited by Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CACREP or CHEA website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. Note: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education, in lieu of experience. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Additional Information (Continued from Qualifications Section) Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds Light carrying, under 15 pounds Use of fingers Both hands required Hearing, aid may be permitted Ability to perform privileges Ability to independently perform physical exam as appropriate to position Emotional & mental stability Mostly sitting w/ some walking 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. 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. Creditable Experience. Creditable experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with current professional rehabilitation counseling practice. Creditable experience can be obtained through employment as an RC. This may be evidenced by providing direct rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with disabilities in the context of a professional counseling relationship which may include vocational rehabilitation and personal adjustment counseling, case management, assessment, or rehabilitation, training and employment services coordination. Quality of Experience. The quality of creditable experience must have been obtained post-graduate as a professional RC directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to professional rehabilitation counseling experience at the next lower level. For all assignments above the journeyman level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.