Blind Rehabilitation Specialist-Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST)

The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (Visual Impairment Services Team) Coordinator plans develops implements directs and evaluates the Visual Impairment Service (VIS) Team program at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. The duties and responsibilities are carried throughout the Healthcare System including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the services. Case management duties may include cases that are both difficult and complex both in terms of the severity of the visual impairment and the presence of complicating physical and emotional factors impinging on treatment.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Following a model of lifetime care coordination offered to all Veterans with visual impairment who are eligible to receive services. The model requires varying degrees of intervention based on the clinical and psychosocial needs of each Veteran.
• Providing care coordination services to eligible Veterans with visual impairment by assessing (at least annually) coordinating and reviewing the Veterans rehabilitation and adjustment needs and determining and referring the type and intensity of services needed based upon clinical judgment and the Veterans goals.
• Determining if additional intervention by other providers will be needed in order to develop a Veterans individualized treatment such instances the BRS clinician is expected to refer consult educate and/or cotreat with other providers in order to support the Veteran in addressing individualized goals (e.g. assessment for supplementary adaptive interventions issuance criteria and core competencies for prosthetic recommendation).
• Ensuring the update and maintenance of the VIST roster including all legally blind and low vision Veterans enrolled at a given VA medical facility.
• Providing outreach and education to VA medical facility and non-VA agencies and personnel through brochures and other educational materials about Veteran counseling and family information. Regardless of the level of care coordination VIST Coordinators counsel Veterans with visual impairment about their health needs and refer them annually for medical examinations to include but not limited to ocular health examinations physical examinations and audiological examinations.
• Conducting monthly VIST support groups for Veterans on various topics to enhance outreach education adjustment to sight loss and peer-to-peer engagement.

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

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74 to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2 section D paragraph 5a this part.
• Education
  1. The individual must have earned:
     • A bachelors degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation closely related program in rehabilitation special education for the visually impaired family and consumer science 3 education or technology and industrial arts education . OR
     • A bachelors degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included or was supplemented by at least one of the following:
       • At least 30 semester hours of directly related upper level undergraduate courses (e.g. at least 200-course level or higher or as identified by the college or university).
       • One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 - 18 semester hours).
       • A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility vision rehabilitation therapy assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation either included in the degree or post-degree.
       • Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelors degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent as verified through an independent credential evaluation company) with a specialization in blind rehabilitation.
• Certification: Required at the GS-11 grade level and above.
  1. Applicants must possess at least one active current full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP) or another equivalent closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation. NOTE: The ACVREP administers four certification programs: Low Vision Therapy Orientation and Mobility Assistive Technology Instruction and Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. They may then use the designation for the certification they hold (as listed in subparagraph (2)) below:
  2. BRS who provide the following service must obtain certification granted by ACVREP as follows:
     • Orientation and mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS).
     • Communication and daily living therapy - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT).
     • Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT).
     • Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS).
  3. BRS Advanced Practitioners at the GS-13 grade level must possess two certifications awarded by ACVREP.
  4. BRS VIST Coordinators may be drawn from traditional blind/vision rehabilitation backgrounds and from counseling backgrounds such as social work vocational rehabilitation counseling etc. VIST Coordinators must be credentialed/certified through:
     • Any certification via the ACVREP OR
     • Individuals appointed based on experience as a Social Worker must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters degree level. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the masters degree in social work. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator Social Workers are appointed to the GS-0601 series but must still maintain a full valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment OR
     • Certification via the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) OR
     • Individuals appointed based on experience in other health care occupations must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice in their field. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator such individuals are appointed to the GS-0601 series but must still maintain their full valid and unrestricted independent license or certification in their occupation to remain qualified for employment. Examples of occupations may include but are not limited to Marriage and Family Therapist or Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

1. Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. OR
2. Education: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Doctoral Degree; or Doctoral Degree in Blind Rehabilitation or a directly 8 related field.
3. Certification: VIST Coordinator candidates must meet the certification requirements in paragraph 4c(4) above. BRSs who are VIST Coordinators may be drawn from traditional blind/vision rehabilitation backgrounds and from counseling backgrounds such as social work vocational rehabilitation counseling etc. VIST Coordinators may be credentialed/certified through any of the following:
   • Certification via the ACVREP;
4. Licensure via the Social Worker Licensure Board;
   • Certification via the CRCC; OR
   • Equivalent and relevant professional credential in counseling or rehabilitation. Examples of other health care occupations may include but are not limited to Marriage and Family Therapists or Licensed Mental Health Counselors.

1. Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to GS-11 grade level.
2. Certification: VIST Coordinators must meet the certification requirements in paragraph 4c(4) above.