Occupational Therapist

Functions of the Caregiver Support Program OT Clinical Assessor:

• Responsible for assessing a Veterans functional needs included in the assessments used by the Centralized Eligibility and Appeal Team (CEAT) to determine PCAFC eligibility for each Veteran/Caregiver applicant.
• The incumbent primarily assesses Veteran needs for personal care services particularly Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) supervision protection or instruction working closely with the Caregiver Support Program Coordinator(s) and/or designee(s) to complete Veteran Functional Assessments (VFAIs) Home Care Assessments (HCAs) and re-assessments.
• Maintains a caseload of approved Veterans/Caregivers conducting regular/scheduled Wellness Contacts and addressing/facilitating their individual needs by assessments.
• Assists other program staff in providing clinical services completing notes and gathering/monitoring data related to the day-to-day functioning and evaluation of the program.
• Uses and maintains data monitoring system to measure the efficacy of the program and collects and analyzes local data for reports
• Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues creates educational tools develops programs and implements training focused on specific caregiver needs/issues.
• Provides Veteran caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress psychiatric illness emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues. Utilizes professional judgment including the knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior is an inherent competency applied in daily interactions with caregivers and the Veterans for whom they care.
• Helps caregivers Veterans and families navigate the complex processes they encounter when interacting with government and community agencies.
• Keeps informed about current federal and state legislation directed at assisting caregivers to continue to provide caregiving in an environment that is safe for both themselves and the Veteran.
• Collaborates with the VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) mental health and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues and input on Veterans functional needs.
• Responds to inquiries from the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team and tracks and processes Functional Assessment consults.

Work Schedule: Full Time Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible:May be available with supervisory approval
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 08539F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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-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.

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

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.
• English LanguagePer VA Handbook 5005 Part II Chapter 3 Section A Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapter 73 or 74 to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education and Experience Requirement - You 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. The program must be approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations.

Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an occupational therapist 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 Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia.

Grade Determination: In addition to the basic requirements as stated above the following criteria must be met to qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level.

GS-12 Grade Level - Education Experience Licensure: Completion of one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being addition to the experience requirement candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs.

• Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence-based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical occupational cognitive and psychosocial functional deficits.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
• 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.
• Skill in procuring fabricating adjusting adapting and modifying orthoses splints and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
• Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

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).

Preferred Experience: VA experience


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 a GS 12

Physical Requirements: This position may involve standing walking stooping bending reaching lifting and turning. The work may involve going up and down flights of stairs. This position requires travel to facilities within VISN 12 and may require extended work hours to facilitate addition there may be increased stress due to the intensity of a customer complaint or concern.