Chaplain (Seasonal)

Summary The Chaplain provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, patient's families and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings. The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics and domicile(s) throughout the United States. Responsibilities The Chaplain serves as a professional for the VHA. The incumbent provides religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. The candidate addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of service. Duties include but are not limited to: Serves as a Chaplain professional providing complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Serves as a primary resource, spiritual advisor and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services. Engages as a spiritual leader, a compassionate listener and counselor, especially during times of crisis. Ensures assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups. Leads and offers prayers and religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff, and community. Uses leadership skills to lead prayer and religious services. Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff. Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned veteran patients. Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families. Provides pastoral ministry to patients of his/her faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises. Ensures all patients are provided opportunities for the free exercise of religion and that Veterans are protected from proselytizing and coercing from any source. Serves as a fully recognized member of an integrated multi-professional treatment team. Maintains liaison with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved to exchange information relative to the background and current condition of patients. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm; subject to change based on the needs of the facility Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00503F / 00504F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.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. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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; 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. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.Education: Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved certifications found on the National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint. a) Non-Board-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, may be given a temporary appointment as a Chaplain under the authority of 38 U.b) Non-Board-Certified Chaplains must provide proof of completion of 4 units of CPE as required by an approved board certifying body. (c) Non-Board-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Chaplain at or above the FPL. (d) Non-Board-Certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-board-certified Chaplains may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided. (b) Ability to use the information of the spiritual assessment to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care. (d) Skill in health care team collaboration to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual issues. (f) Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families; providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care. (g) Skill in the coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients. (h) Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds. Demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to meeting to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families. (c) Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome driven and evidenced based within the department guidelines. (d) Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, and justice or confinement matters. (e) Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support. (f) Ability to educate and equip health care staff and trainees screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress. (g) Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff. Preferred Experience: None 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-9 to GS-11. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; 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. 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. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. 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.