Occupational Therapist (HUDVASH) EDRP Approved

The Department of Housing and Urban Development/ Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Occupational Therapist (OT) is programmatically assigned to and reports to the Homeless Program Assistant Manager at EL Paso VA Health Care System (EPVACHS). The primary function of this OT is direct patient care including completing functional assessments to a diverse population in outpatient and community settings within the HUD-VASH program. The incumbent will complete functional assessments of Veteran applicants utilizing a prescribed instrument The Veteran Functional Assessment Instrument (VFAI) and other assessment tools to determine if a Veteran applicant requires personal care services from a caregiver due to inability to perform an activity of daily living (ADL) and/or due to the need for supervision protection or addition to completing the VFAI and other assessments the incumbent will engage in interprofessional collaboration with: social work nursing physical therapist (PT) OT Patient Care Team (PACT) Doctor of Medicine (MD) Physician Assistant (PA) Osteopathic Doctor (DO) Nurse Practitioner (NP) psychologists counselors and a variety of other medical professionals.

In addition to completing assessments and interventions within the medical center (Housing and Urban Development-VA Supported Housing) the incumbent will complete home visits in the community to determine Veterans needs within the home. The incumbent will support the staffing needs of the medical center and will complete other duties as assigned from the HUD-VASH Program management.

The OT:

• Is an incidental driver and must have a valid drivers license. Operating a government vehicle is required to transport patients.
• Accepts and responds to OT/HUD-VASH consults and document evaluation and treatment in compliance with HUD-VASH and Occupational Therapy policies.
• Completes Veteran functional assessments including the Veterans for American Ideals (VFAI).
• Utilizes appropriate screening and standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools required to appropriately provide and direct the OT care plan in multiple settings.
• Comprehensively assesses functional and occupational roles and provide direct intervention with varying degrees of complexity to enhance safety wellness participation and performance in all areas of occupation (ADLs IADLs work/play leisure education social participation and resVsleep) of Veterans referred to the HUD-VASH Program.
• Applies clinically appropriate assessment techniques and treatment interventions to address and evaluate all aspects of the occupational therapy domain: occupations client factors performance skills performance patterns contexts and environments.
• Utilizes standardized and non-standardized assessment methods to communicate information to the interprofessional HUD-VASH team about Veterans functioning.
  Communication
• Educates Veterans family members caregivers students and other healthcare professionals.
• Effectively communicates both orally and in writing with Veterans family members supervisors caregivers students and other healthcare professionals.
• Establishes and maintains contact with other health care providers involved in Veteran care via written telephone and personal communication on a regular basis.
• Participates in interdisciplinary care planning conferences as assigned.
• Performs comprehensive written documentation of evaluations/assessments progress notes and discharge summaries. Documentation is consistent with regulatory bodies and accrediting commissions VHA policy and facility directives regarding content and timeliness.
• Proactively communicates with Prosthetics Department to address Veterans needs for adaptive/durable medical equipment orthoses and prosthetics devices in accordance with facility policy.
• Documents Veteran functional assessments for PCAFC in a timely manner and communicates information from assessments for timely processing of the application.
• Conducts data collection as specified or requested by the Supervisor of HUD-VASH for projects related to continuous process improvement for quality assurance (QA) and Quality Improvement (QI) for the HUD-VASH program.

Duties are continued in Education section.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Telework: This is an onsite position. Telework may be offered when deemed necessary by the department AD-HOC (Employees who telework on an occasional episodic or short-term basis and have completed required telework training and telework agreement.) (Portion of day acceptable).
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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-placement examination.
• Must have a valid drivers license.
• 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 determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• 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.

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.

Qualifications

VA Health Profession Trainees (HPTs) 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.

All applicants pending certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected as a Graduate Occupational Therapist at the GS-9 level pending completion of requirements.

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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English

Education and/or Experience.
The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
(a) Bachelors degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist;

NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

or

(b) Bachelors degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field;
NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

or

(c) Masters Degree or higher in occupational therapy.

Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association P.O. Box 31220 Bethesda MD 20824-1220.

Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph 3b(2) if they have a current full active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph 3e of this appendix.

Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.

State Licensure. Candidates must possess a full current and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a state territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia

Exceptions for the Graduate Occupational Therapist.
OT graduates from an approved occupational therapy program who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements but who do not possess NBCOT certification and/or state licensure may be appointed pending certification and/or licensure as a graduate OT on a full-time temporary appointment not-to- exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2) at the GS-9 level only.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

a. Occupational Therapist GS-9

(1) Education Experience or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.


b. Occupational Therapist GS-11

(1) Education Experience or Licensure.

To qualify for the GS-11 level you must be fully licensed to independently practice occupational therapy in a state territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia and have a NBCOT Certification as an OT

In addition to the basic requirements one of the following is required.

(a) Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled;

or

(b) Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field;

or

(c) Doctorate in occupational therapy.

(2) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.
(b) Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans including goals and methods of treatment.
(c) Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.
(d) Skill in monitoring an individuals response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.
(e) Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients family members caregivers interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.
(f) Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
(g) Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice.


c. Occupational Therapist GS-12

(1) Education Experience and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.

To be equivalent to the GS-11 level experience must have been earned while having:

1. a full license to independently practice occupational therapy in a state territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia

and

1. a NBCOT Certification as an OT.

(2) Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice.
(b) Knowledge is inclusive of physical occupational cognitive and psychosocial functional deficits.
(c) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
(d) Ability to use critical analysis clinical reasoning and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments treatment plans activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients.
(e) Skill in procuring fabricating adjusting adapting and modifying orthoses splints and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
(f) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working with Veteran Population
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams
• Experience in conducting OT assessment in home environment
• Experience working with community agency

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-12

Physical Requirements:
Individuals who are required to operate a government owned or leased vehicle to successfully carry out their assigned duties must be medically cleared prior to appointment. Assessment must be made for any acute or chronic medical/physical condition or medication use which interferes with the ability operate the appropriate Government-owned or -leased vehicle safely and without undue risk to themselves or others. The following requirements must be met:

• distant vision 20/40 in one eye with or without correction
• field of vision 70 degrees
• ability to distinguish red green and amber
• whispered voice at five feet or average hearing loss of not greater than 40 dbs. atand 2000 Hz.