Rehabilitation Counselor

The Rehabilitation Counselor (RC) position is organizationally located at the James H. Quillen Veterans Administration Medical Center (JHQVAMC), Mountain Home, Tennessee. The incumbent is assigned to the Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab) Program, in Mental Health (MH) Service. Voc Rehab provided vocational services, including Transitional Work (TW}, Supported Employment (SE), Community Based Employment Services (CBES), and Vocational Assistance.

The Rehab Counselor works with Veterans who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health, physical, and/or psychosocial challenges affecting employment, independent living, or personal adjustment. Rehab Counselors utilize various professional counseling and clinical modalities to promote and support optimal functioning, independence, personal adjustment, adaptation to disability, community reintegration, and recovery. They work with interdisciplinary teams to provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling services to Veterans with disabilities, including assessment, counseling and case management services, development of rehabilitation plans, and assistance in attaining and maintaining employment, independent living, and attaining personal goals. Duties include but are not limited to: Provides personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment and educational and independent living goals. Completes vocational assessments using medical records, pertinent disability documentation, observation and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories. Consults with interdisciplinary teams (IDT) to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions. Customizes vocational exploration activities for identification of self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals. Determines clinical need and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services to include work restoration/resilience treatment, transitional work placement, supported employment, assistive technology, financial benefits counseling, and potential benefits protections. Develops recovery-oriented treatment goals and objectives to address the underlying causes and factors contributing to employment barriers in collaboration with the Veteran. Monitors progress during sessions to inform individualized services, duration, and discharge planning. Provides psychoeducational groups to teach effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills and life skills fostering independence. Assists Veterans in becoming knowledgeable about the impact of income from employment on disability and other benefits, as well as providing information on the means to access such information. Contacts employers and appropriate Federal, state, and local employment agencies to develop or identify job opportunities for Veterans with disabilities. Utilizes basic knowledge and skills in use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management and tracking, entering assessments, progress notes, and other required documentation in the EHR. Maintains a database on referrals, individual caseload, employment outcomes, community engagement, and government vehicle usage. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:45am- 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 61604-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination and be medically cleared to transport patients. This position requires driving. Must possess a current, valid driver's 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 interest. In 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.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.