Blind Rehabilitation Specialist

The Blind Rehabilitation Specialist provides direct patient care and support services to an adult population of patients which is characterized by a very significant number of older male patients in the Orientation and Mobility Department. Review of demographic data discloses that the average age of a Central Blind Rehabilitation Center patient is 67.4 years with a distribution of 96% male and 4% female. Within these broad categorizations the employee must tailor patient care and support services to meet the needs of the individual patient. This includes the responsibility for assessment of each patients needs and the delivery of services which are responsive to the concerns of individual patients to the extent possible.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Evaluate and assess needs capabilities and limitations of individuals with blindness or visual impairment caused by injury or disease.
• Set goals and prescribe treatment plans as part of a multidisciplinary team supporting blind and visually impaired Veterans.
• Develop and coordinate the Veterans Interdisciplinary Plan of Care (IPOC) with input from the Veteran family and all team members.
• Independently evaluate treat and manage Blind and Vision Rehabilitation programs that teach adaptive skills and techniques for daily life.
• Address significant physical emotional and social challenges faced by Veterans.
• Identify and resolve visual and non-visual barriers resulting in activity limitations participation restrictions vocational losses and psychological distress using diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
• Assess difficulties and barriers to treatment for Veterans with single or multiple disabilities and develop interventions to enhance rehabilitation.
• Build close rapport with assigned Veterans and develop treatment plans to foster personal independence emotional stability and integration into community family and environment.
• Instruct Veterans on using remaining senses protective techniques and assistive devices for safe efficient and confident travel in various environments (indoor residential business downtown rural public transportation night travel home area).
• Use and teach travel devices such as long canes support canes telescopic aids sunglasses walkers and other mobility aids.
• Assess Veterans functional level in travel medical physical psychosocial and environmental contexts; determine goals and prescribe individualized programs.
• Instruct Veterans on emerging technologies including Adaptive Global Position Devices (GPS) Electronic Travel Aids (ETAs) and other orientation aids.
• Educate Veterans about guide dogs assess suitability recommend referrals to approved guide dog schools and support VA prosthetic approval for guide dogs.
• Work with family members and significant others to educate and counsel about the impact of visual impairment and teach strategies to cope with psychological and social challenges.
• Regularly serve as Team Coordinator for no more than two Veterans at a time providing and documenting complex assessment individualized planning training progress post-training skills and recommendations.
• Assume administrative responsibilities in the absence of the Supervisory Blind Rehabilitation Specialist to ensure continued rehabilitation services.
• Stay informed about new technological developments in the field through research and education.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to medical and allied health staff providing counseling on blindness visual impairment and rehabilitation.
• Obtain and maintain certification in the appropriate discipline of orientation and mobility in blind/vision rehabilitation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.

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:

• 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.

1. Knowledge of policies and procedures of the blind/vision rehabilitation service.
2. Knowledge of administration and interpretation of assessments and evaluations in blind/vision rehabilitation.
3. Ability to develop a basic written blind/vision rehabilitation plan from assessment results and develop more complex plans with consultation from supervisor.
4. Skill in instructing Veterans and families in a meaningful rehabilitation program and applying blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic techniques.
5. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision prosthetic devices for Veterans within the scope of practice.
6. Ability to serve as team coordinator for assigned Veterans during their rehabilitation programs.

• Assistive Technology - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS) or a related equivalent professional certification

• Orientation and mobility training - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS)

• Communication and daily living therapy/Rehabilitation Teaching - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT)

• Low vision therapy - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT) or a related equivalent professional certification

1. Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation.
2. Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for blind/vision rehabilitation therapeutic interventions.
3. Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines with observable measurable goals and that identifies specific outcomes.
4. Skill in instructional methods and learning principles.
5. Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan.
6. Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within scope of practice making adaptations and modifications as required.