Recreation Therapist

Summary The Therapist is assigned to the Mental Health at the Atlanta VAHCS. The incumbent provides clinical interventions through the application of established modalities, incorporating assessment, treatment planning, intervention, and evaluation of outcomes. Clinical duties are performed independently with responsibility for applying a range of recreation/creative arts therapy treatment models to support Veteran recovery, rehabilitation, and wellness across mental health and related care settings. Responsibilities Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Clinical Functions: Assessment: Independently conducts comprehensive recreation/ creative arts therapy assessments to evaluate functional strengths and limitations across cognitive, physical, sensory, affective, social, and leisure domains. Reviews consults, clinical histories, and interdisciplinary notes to determine therapeutic needs and inform clinical decision-making. Utilizes standardized and non-standardized assessment tools as appropriate to the complexity of psychiatric presentations. Treatment Planning: Develops individualized, measurable treatment goals that promote recovery, meaningful leisure engagement, improved coping, increased motivation, social skill development, and symptom management. Collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to ensure treatment goals align with the Veteran's overall plan of care. Intervention: Plans, organizes, and leads structured recreation/ creative arts therapy groups and 1:1 sessions that address treatment goals identified in the assessment. Implements evidence-based and best-practice techniques to reduce anxiety, improve emotional regulation, promote behavioral activation, foster constructive self-expression, increase frustration tolerance, enhance social functioning, and build healthy leisure routines. Interventions may include leisure education, activity-based therapy, cooperative games, creative recreation, relaxation-based activities, sensory modulation, and skill-building leisure tasks. Therapeutic Engagement & Participation Support: Identifies barriers to participation and applies motivational, behavioral, and adaptive strategies to engage Veterans experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms or functional limitations. Safety & Risk Management: Applies all health and safety regulations during therapeutic activities to minimize clinical risk and ensure environmental safety, including monitoring patient behavior, selecting appropriate materials, and adjusting activities for individual needs and safety precautions. Documentation: Completes timely and accurate documentation of assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, encounters, incidents, and discharge recommendations in CPRS in accordance with VHA, MHSL, and Medical Center requirements. Communication & Coordination: Communicates clinical observations, functional changes, safety concerns, participation levels, and patient-expressed needs to other interdisciplinary team members. Provides recommendations regarding leisure needs, behavioral/clinical observations, discharge considerations, and community reintegration supports. Program Delivery & Adaptation: Posts and maintains, in collaboration with other team members, an ongoing schedule of recreation/ creative arts therapy and other activities and groups that reflects patient needs, therapeutic goals, and Veteran interests. Ensures required supplies, adaptive equipment, and safe activity materials are available. Modifies activities to accommodate functional, behavioral, or environmental considerations. Discharge & Aftercare Referral: Provides leisure-based education and relapse-prevention strategies to support healthy routines post-discharge. Refers Veterans to aftercare therapy, VA outpatient groups, or community-based leisure resources when appropriate. Administrative Functions: Adheres to MHSL, Medical Center, and VHA policies, including documentation standards; CPRS and network security requirements; Safety, Infection Control, Environment of Care, and HIPAA guidelines. Maintains therapeutic spaces that support a safe, organized, and recovery-oriented environment. Participates in program evaluation, quality improvement projects, and service-level performance initiatives. Monitors equipment, recreational materials, and supply needs; communicates procurement requests as appropriate. Participates in interdisciplinary meetings, treatment team rounds, safety huddles, and clinical consultations. Supports orientation of new staff or students as assigned and contributes to team cohesion and communication. Performs other duties as assigned that are consistent with the Recreation Therapist GS-11 qualification standard and the needs of the Acute Mental Health program. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am- 4:30 pm. To include possible weekends. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 508-62690F 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. 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 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: Education: Have 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. This degree is approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). OR Have a bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university AND am a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). This degree is approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. Certification. Required Certification 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. Creative Arts Therapist. Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 4b(2)(b), registration cannot be waived Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the 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). 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: In addition to the basic requirements listed above, applicant must meet grade requirement for the position: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of the knowledge, skills and abilities associated with current recreation therapy practice. Experience may be paid or non-paid employment as a recreation therapist in the health care field.At the GS-9 level, Recreation Therapists serve in a developmental position. They work under general supervision to perform work in a clinical environment. They may: conduct patient evaluations; analyze and interpret leisure, cognitive, and motor skill assessment data to develop individualized goal, objectives, and treatment plan of care; develop and select interventions to achieve patient goals; review patient progress; adapt or adjust the treatment plan and intervention strategize; implement therapeutic interventions that support measurable functional outcomes; evaluate patient needs for additional, alternative or termination of services; document patient's behavioral observations, progress, functioning, and intervention outcomes; and develop collaborative services with other team members.At the GS-9 level, the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are demonstrated: 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. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate 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. 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 GS-11. 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 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.