Chaplain

Veterans Health Administration; Walla Walla (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration in Washington state seeks a Chaplain to provide complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients, caregivers, and staff, serving as pastoral minister and primary spiritual resource for their spiritual needs. The role involves conducting religious services, pastoral care, and coordinating chaplain services.

Applicants must hold a Master of Divinity or equivalent, an ecclesiastical endorsement, and board certification (or approved equivalency) with English

Qualifications

• Must possess a Master of Divinity or equivalent educational degree from CHEA/ATS accredited program.
• Foreign education must be evaluated by an approved agency (NACES) and deemed equivalent to U.S. programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients, their caregivers, and staff.
• Serve as a primary spiritual resource, advisor, and point of contact for patients.
• Conduct religious services, pastoral ministry, and administration of chaplain services.

Skills

Chaplains' ministry

Pastoral counseling

Spiritual care

Interpersonal skills

Education

Master of Divinity or equivalent

Board certification in chaplaincy

Tools

CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education)

Job description

Serves as a Chaplain professional providing complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Serves as a primary resource, spiritual advisor and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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: Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains (see paragraph f) is acceptable.
  • 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.
• 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: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp --COPY OF ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED DATED WITHIN 12 MONTHS.
• 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. Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above.
• Exception for Non-Board-Certified Chaplains. 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. Non-Board-Certified Chaplains must provide proof of completion of 4 units of CPE as required by an approved board certifying body. Non-Board-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Chaplain at or above the FPL. 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.
• Failure to Obtain Board Certification. In all cases, Chaplains must actively work to meet requirements for board certification starting from the date of their placement into the occupation. At the time of appointment, the HR Office staff in collaboration with the supervisor will provide the employee with the written requirements for board certification, including the time by which the board certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming board certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain board certification during this time may result in separation from employment.
• Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office s