Creative Arts Therapist (Music)

This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is Wednesday November 19 2025. Additional applications will be referred as needed. (NOTE: Applications expire after 90 days. Please update application thru USAJobs if you wish to be reconsidered.)

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Administering and interpreting music therapy assessments and utilizing clinical knowledge to develop unconventional assessment and interview approaches to effectively elicit information
• Reviewing pre-evaluation data in the medical record upon admission or through consulting conduct analyze interpret and report assessment data across functional domains (i.e. behavioral cognitive communicative emotional/affective physical sensory social and musical)
• Planning organizing and implementing developmentally and situationally appropriate and evidence-based comprehensive music therapy interventions for persons diagnosed with chronic or life-threatening conditions as well as their families and in collaboration with an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary team. These may include but are not limited to: music listening singing playing creating and improvising to understand musical behaviors as a means of self-expression communication and adaptive behavior; for neurological or physical rehabilitation; pain management; increased independence; exploring self-concept; improved coping skills; interpersonal relationships and social skills; and group cohesion
• Recommending and developing new treatment groups and programs (including co-treatment opportunities) for treating patients with complex medical behavioral or mental health issues such as but not limited to dementia parkinson PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) to develop or promote a variety of clinical outcomes such as improved coping with grief loss palliative care/terminal illness behavior management conflict resolution self-expression or non-verbal communication of difficult subject matter
• Participating in other difficult work in co-treatment opportunities including neurological rehabilitation physical rehabilitation mental health recovery programs and palliative care related to the symptoms of a terminal illness
• Working closely with other treatment team members and community health care professionals to support the patients medical treatment plan
• Providing direct 1:1 treatment and services that require the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical skills
• Carrying full professional responsibility for cases presenting a wide range of psychosocial and medical issues with no limitations (within his/her scope of clinical privileges) as to the range of service to be performed
• Providing information and referral services to various community services as appropriate
• Investigating community resources and making information about them available to other in program planning and the development of working relationships with community agencies and resources
• Maintaining accurate statistics and reports as required within specified deadlines
• Submitting data on patient contacts promptly and accurately to program office for monthly statistic
• All statistical and administrative reports will be completed according to policy
• Knowledge of Professional CARF and JCAHO standards where applicable are the responsibility of the incumbent
• May participate in research education evaluations and studies
• May supervise Music Therapy students interns and trainees

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 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.

• 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.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: The following education requirements apply to the creative arts therapist (music).
  • A bachelors degree or higher from an accredited college or university in music therapy or in music with an emphasis in music therapy. The degree must be approved by the National Association for Schools of Music and/or the American Music Therapy Association. OR
  • A bachelors degree or higher from an accredited college or university and must be a board-certified music therapist (MT- BC) approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). If hired under this education the certification cannot be waived.
  • Foreign Education: To be creditable education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. The private organization must deem such education at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
• Certification: Required Certification
  • Creative Arts Therapy (Music). Applicants must be a MT-BC approved by the CBMT. If hired under second option above under Education certification cannot be waived.
• Exception: Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist under the authority of38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(8) for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain 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 certified.
• Failure to Obtain Certification: In all cases recreation and creative arts therapists must actively pursue meeting registration and/or certification requirements starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment the supervisor will provide the unregistered and/or uncertified recreation or creative arts therapist with the written requirement to obtain registration/certification the date by which the registration and/or certification must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming registered and/or certified by the deadline. Failure to become registered and/or certified within two years from the date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0638 recreation and creative arts therapist occupation and may result in termination of employment.
• Loss of Credential: A recreation or creative arts therapist who fails to maintain the required registration and/or certification must be removed from the occupation which may also result in termination of employment.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

• Ability to perform a varied repertoire of popular folk and traditional songs appropriate for use in a clinical setting using at least two of the following: keyboard voice guitar percussion or other musical instruments suitable to a clinical setting.
• Knowledge of the roles and meaning of music in various cultures and subcultures.
• Knowledge to design develop or adapt unique music therapy methods for assessment treatment or palliation and evaluation procedures.
• Skill to apply objectivity and insight to respond constructively to both positive and negative reactions while maintaining a safe environment for the patient and therapist.

• Knowledge of the roles and meaning of music in various cultures and subcultures how culture influences identity formation concepts of health and pathology and understanding of the role of music therapy and how music therapy is practiced.
• Knowledge of current methods of music therapy assessment treatment and evaluation related to human growth and development musical development diagnostic classifications etiology symptomatology and prognosis in formulating complex treatment plans including the contraindications of music therapy for individuals and groups.
• Ability to design develop or adapt unique music therapy methods for assessment treatment or palliation and evaluation procedures for complex clinical cases through a broad range of specialized music therapy services for various and emerging patient populations.
• Ability to use music therapy interventions to provide opportunities to work through treatment issues including emotional disturbances by establishing a safe environment for the patient to understand the symbolic expression of their musical product process and experience as it relates to recovery and wellness.
• Ability to apply effective use of professional skill objectivity and insight to respond constructively to both positive and negative reactions establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries to reflect trusting empathetic and respectful interactions.
• Ability to apply current research literature and co-facilitate treatment with professionals from other disciplines the uses of the creative arts therapies and recreation therapy as well as understanding emerging models and trends in music therapy.

• Minimum of two years experience in field of expertise
• Home care experience
• Experience with geriatric chronically ill high risk and/or Veteran population
• Experience with a Creative Arts Program to include development and implementation of policy and procedure