Chaplain

Veterans Health Administration; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration seeks a Chaplain (GS-09/11) to provide holistic spiritual care in a pluralistic VA setting in California. Must hold an M.Div. or equivalent and maintain ecclesiastical endorsement within 12 months.

Board certification (BCCI or reciprocal) is required, with CPE as applicable. Foreign credentials evaluated as needed. Candidates should demonstrate KSAs for spiritual assessments, care plan creation, crisis intervention, and collaboration with healthcare teams to

Qualifications

• Master of Divinity or equivalent evidenced by graduate theological degree from CHEA/ATS-accredited institution.
• Board-Certified Chaplain (BCCI) or reciprocal U.S. certifying body; 4 units of CPE required for some certifications.
• Ecclesiastical endorsement dated within the past 12 months from official endorsing body.

Responsibilities

• Provide pastoral care and spiritual assessments to patients and families.
• Coordinate religious services and chaplaincy care respecting diverse faith traditions.
• Collaborate with health care teams to update treatment plans addressing spiritual needs.

Skills

Pastoral care

Spiritual assessments

Crisis intervention

Team collaboration

Education

Master of Divinity

CHEA/ATS accredited theology

Job description

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.
• Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint.
• Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved certifications found on the National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at https://www.naces.org/members and be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program.
• Exception for Non-Board-Certified Chaplains. (a) Non-Board-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, may be given a temporary appointment as a Chaplain under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) not to exceed 2 years. (b) Non-Board-Certified Chaplains must provide proof of completion of 4 units of CPE as required by an approved board certifying body. (c) Non-Board-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Chaplain at or above the FPL. (d) Non-Board-Certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-board-certified Chaplains may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. 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).

Grade Determinations:

Chaplain GS-09: Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided.
• Ability to use the information of the spiritual assessment to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care.
• Ability to provide crisis intervention and stabilization.
• Skill in health care team collaboration to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual issues.
• Ability to ensure free exercise of religion for patients and staff.
• Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families; providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care.
• Skill in the coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds.
• Chaplain GS-11: Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skil