Rehabilitation Counselor (HCHV Employment Specialist)

Summary Rehabilitation Counselors in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) work with persons who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health, physical, and/or psychosocial challenges affecting employment, independent living, or personal adjustment. Qualifications 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 program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) If the master’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 (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 (CHEA) OR 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 may be appointed—pending certification—as a graduate RC on a full‑time temporary appointment not‑to‑exceed two years under 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 toward 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 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. English language proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f) Grade determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates Rehabilitation Counselor – GS‑09: No experience beyond the basic requirements Knowledge, skills and abilities: Demonstrate knowledge of human development and behavior, medical, psychosocial, and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors; knowledge of disability rights legislation; ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information with labor market trends and community/educational resources; knowledge of caseload management strategies; ability to employ person‑centered job development strategies; knowledge of assessment tools and methods for evaluating transferrable skills, residual capacities and needs for accommodations and assistive technology. Rehabilitation Counselor – GS‑11: Completion of one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position; or a doctoral degree in rehabilitation counselor education or related field (e.g., rehabilitation psychology) from a CACREP accredited institution or an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting body (CHEA). Knowledge, skills and abilities: Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities, appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles; knowledge of counseling theory, medical and psychiatric terminology, and signs and symptomology of suicidal and homicidal ideations; ability to use evidence‑based vocational and professional counseling practices; knowledge of career development processes and job analysis methodology; ability to administer and interpret a wide variety of assessment methods; knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships; knowledge of military culture and specific factors associated with Veterans—particularly combat Veterans. Preferred experience: Providing services to adult populations with complex mental health and/or substance use disorders, evidence‑based practice, community and non‑traditional settings, government and non‑profit agencies. 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 is in the range of GS‑9 to GS‑11. Duties Use professional counseling and clinical modalities to promote and support optimal functioning, independence, personal adjustment, adaptation to disability, community reintegration, and recovery. This position is located within Homeless Programs at the St. Louis VA Health Care System – Social Work Service. VHA Rehab Service programs are recovery‑oriented clinical vocational rehabilitation services that offer an array of vocational, educational, training, employment, and therapeutic work services. Duties include and are not limited to: Providing personal‑adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions, and case coordination services as a journey‑level Rehabilitation Counselor. Using evidence‑informed and evidence‑based modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities—including physical, psychosocial, psychological, or neurological barriers—in integrating successfully into the community. Serving Veterans who have myriad barriers to overcome to achieve competitive employment, educational, and independent‑living goals. Conducting biopsychosocial assessments using medical records, pertinent disability documentation, observation, and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories. Customizing vocational exploration activities to identify self‑determined rehabilitation needs and goals. Administering Measurement‑Based Care instruments to track progress throughout treatment and adjust goals and services as needed. Procuring and managing transitional work agreements from community, state, and federal agencies. Monitoring worksite compliance with agreements to ensure Veterans are appropriately trained and evaluated consistently with industry standards. Utilizing knowledge of military culture, military transition to civilian occupations, and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans—particularly combat Veterans—to advise those returning to the community and community‑based work. Conducting community visits requiring a valid driver’s license and regular driving of government vehicles. Performing other related duties as assigned. Work schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Telework: Ad‑Hoc—this position is authorized for telework but has not been authorized as a virtual or remote position; the employee must be able to work at the location being announced. Telework eligibility may be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. #J-18808-Ljbffr Independent Educational Consultants Association