The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those who serve our country. Whatever the job title, every position in VA will give you a chance to make a meaningful and personal contribution to the lives of truly special and deserving people - our Veterans. Working for VA is one of the most emotionally satisfying and professionally rewarding ways to dedicate the best within you to your Country's service.
If you are transitioning from the military or a Veteran already, we invite you to explore the benefits of continuing your career at the VA. The VA is committed to hiring Veterans .
The VA is much more than just another employer. It is an honorable, open and welcoming community of those who care. Gratitude is our motivation and service is our mission.
The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define who we are, our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are I ntegrity, C ommitment, A dvocacy, R espect and E xcellence ( I CARE ).
America's Veterans need you!
To find out more, go to http://www.va.gov/jobs/ .
KEY REQUIREMENTS
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
DUTIES:
The incumbent serves as an Addiction Therapist assigned to the Substance Abuse Treatment Program in Psychiatry Service, OPC/CBOC, San Juan VAQHS, to provide rehabilitation counseling therapy services to veterans and their significant other. The Substance Abuse Treatment Program is designed to meet the needs for care of outpatients who are experiencing a wide range of psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, psychosocial problems and substance use or abuse. Patients are initially assessed to determine the type of care or treatment needed. Based on the outcome of these evaluations, the patients will receive outpatient care and/or be hospitalized at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System or be referred to other programs or clinics within the community. When an acute psychiatric veteran is appropriately evaluated, assessed, and treated; through outpatient or inpatient resources, the patient may be stabilized and rehabilitated to such a degree that a normal life is possible. Addiction Therapist frequently encounters patients who are uncooperative, non-receptive and hostile. They must have the ability to turn the situation around and establish a positive relationship in order to help patients which in turn has a positive impact for the patient, their family, community, and our institution.
Work Schedule: Full-time Employment; Monday thru Friday; 7:30am to 4:00pm.
***RELOCATION EXPENSES AND/OR INCENTIVES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED***
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:
Possess successfully completed a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university, which meets all of the institutions requirements for a bachelors degree in a behavioral or social science, or a major field of study directly, related to the position. NOTE: A transcript or course listing must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. U nofficial transcripts required . Applications submitted without this information will not be considered.
OR
Possess a combination of education and experience that provided you with the knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. NOTE: To calculate the combination of education and experience, determine the amount of experience you have as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then determine the amount of education you have as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Only education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level is qualifying. Add the two percentages; the total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify for the grade level.
OR
Possess four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired the knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. NOTE: A transcript or course listing must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. U nofficial transcripts required . Applications submitted without this information will not be considered.
AND
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, you must meet one of the following:
Possess one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform, and that are related to, the duties of this Addiction Therapist, GS-9, position. Specialized experience includes conducting individual and group therapy; assessing patients for the presence of substance abuse problems; developing and implementing treatment plans; working with multidisciplinary teams; and making presentations to patients, family members, staff, and community agencies. This one-year of specialized experience must have been comparable to the next lower level in Federal service. NOTE: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
OR
Possess successfully completed two full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or a masters degree with a major field of study directly related to this position. NOTE: A transcript or course listing must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. U nofficial transcripts required . Applications submitted without this information will not be considered.
OR
Possess an equivalent combination of successfully completed education and experience as described above which may be used to meet total qualification requirements. NOTE: To calculate the combination of education and experience, determine the amount of experience you have as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then determine the amount of education you have as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Only education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level is qualifying. Add the two percentages; the total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify for the grade level.
AND
This position includes a Selective Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The selective factors for this position are:
Selective Placement Factor#1 : Proficient in English and Spanish, orally.
Selective Placement Factor#2: Proficient in writing in English.
You will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics (KSAOs) as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
1. Knowledge of professional therapeutic practices in counseling and rehabilitation services.
2. Ability to conduct initial screening and assessment.
3. Ability to plan treatment for eligible patients.
4. Ability to manage treatment.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The work requires extreme patience and controls of emotions. The work may require the use of appropriate technique to physically restrain clients who present a danger to self and others. The work may also require assisting physically disabled clients and may include lifting them.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications .
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Please refer to this checklist to ensure proper accreditation and for foreign education requirements.
Veteran's Preference :
When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of DD-214(s) showing all dates of service as well as character of service (honorable, general, etc.). Additionally, veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more must also submit a copy of their official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying their service-connected disability and/or their receipt of compensation for service-connected disability. If the military member is within 120 days of separation and does not yet have a DD214, the member may instead submit any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed.
Veterans with service-connected disability of less than 10%, non service-connected disability, and Purple Heart recipients, as-well-as those claiming derived preference for a spouse, widow or widower, or natural mother, should refer to and submit a completed " SF15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference ," (go to http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf ) and required documentation with your application materials. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx .
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Applicants will be ranked based on four quality groups, as follows:
Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.
After the vacancy announcement closes, reviewed applications are evaluated against the questionnaire responses and placed in the appropriate quality group. Qualified veterans will be afforded preference by being placed at the top of the appropriate quality group. The best qualified group is the first to be referred to the hiring facility for further consideration and possible interview. The remaining groups may be referred based on the number of applicants available.
BENEFITS:
VA offers a comprehensive benefits package. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered: http://www.va.gov/jobs/job_benefits/benefits.asp.
The Federal Government has special appointing authorities for persons with qualifying disabilities (go to http://www.opm.gov/disability/peoplewithdisabilities.asp ). For additional information on these, and other special appointing authorities, refer to this checklist or contact the hiring Human Resources Management Service at: 10 CASIA STREET
SAN JUAN, PR 00921
OTHER INFORMATION:
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp .
VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
usajobs.gov - 8 months ago
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