Rehabilitation Counselor

Rehab Counselor

The Rehab Counselor works with Veterans who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health, physical, and/or psychosocial challenges affecting employment, independent living, or personal adjustment. Rehab Counselors utilize various professional counseling and clinical modalities to promote and support optimal functioning, independence, personal adjustment, adaptation to disability, community reintegration, and recovery. They work with interdisciplinary teams to provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling services to Veterans with disabilities, including assessment, counseling and case management services, development of rehabilitation plans, and assistance in attaining and maintaining employment, independent living, and attaining personal goals. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment and educational and independent living goals.
• Completes vocational assessments using medical records, pertinent disability documentation, observation and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories.
• Consults with interdisciplinary teams (IDT) to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions.
• Customizes vocational exploration activities for identification of self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals.
• Determines clinical need and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services to include work restoration/resilience treatment, transitional work placement, supported employment, assistive technology, financial benefits counseling, and potential benefits protections.
• Develops recovery-oriented treatment goals and objectives to address the underlying causes and factors contributing to employment barriers in collaboration with the Veteran.
• Monitors progress during sessions to inform individualized services, duration, and discharge planning.
• Provides psychoeducational groups to teach effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills and life skills fostering independence.
• Assists Veterans in becoming knowledgeable about the impact of income from employment on disability and other benefits, as well as providing information on the means to access such information.
• Contacts employers and appropriate Federal, state, and local employment agencies to develop or identify job opportunities for Veterans with disabilities.
• Utilizes basic knowledge and skills in use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management and tracking, entering assessments, progress notes, and other required documentation in the EHR.
• Maintains a database on referrals, individual caseload, employment outcomes, community engagement, and government vehicle usage.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:45am- 4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 61604-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized