Rehabilitation Counselor

About the role

This Rehabilitation Counselor position is located at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center within VHA-Vocational Rehabilitation Service, which is part of the Mental Health Service Line. The Rehabilitation Counselor will work with Veterans possessing significant employment barriers, which include physical and/or mental health impairments; educational, cognitive and job skill deficits; substance use disorders; and legal backgrounds. 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: The following are the basic requirements and qualifications for this position: English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f) Citizenship: Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Basic Education Requirement: The following is the basic educational requirement for a Rehabilitation Counselor at the GS-9 grade level. -A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a rehabilitation counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Note: If the degree was granted prior to 7/1/2017, the program must be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education. Transcripts Required. OR -A master's degree in counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Transcripts Required. OR -A master's or doctoral degree in a related field of study with course content that emphasized rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness, or human development from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA. Transcripts Required. OR -Foreign graduates with a degree acceptable by Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). Transcripts or other documentation required. Certification: Current, full and unrestricted certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling. Copy of Certification Required. Certification Exceptions for Graduate Rehabilitation Counselor (RC): RC graduates from an approved counseling or rehabilitation counseling program who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and the additional degree requirements for CRC certification by the CRCC, but do not possess the required certification, may be appointed, pending certification, as a graduate RC on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 USC 7405(a)(1)(D). -Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level (GS-9) and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. -Temporary graduate RC appointments may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. Grandfathering Provision: All individuals employed as RCs within VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard (7/21/2020) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held including positive education and certification. Grade Determination: In addition to the basic requirements above the following is the amount of experience or education required to qualify for this position at the GS-9 or GS-11 grade levels. GS-9 Level Experience: None beyond the basic requirements above. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of human development and behavior, medical, psychosocial, and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals. Knowledge of history, philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling. Ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information in conjunction with labor market trends and community/educational resources to develop an effective individual service delivery plan. Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services. Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement. Knowledge of assessment tools and methods, functional capacity evaluations and specific vocational preparation to evaluate transferrable skills, residual capacities and needs for accommodations and