Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Educator)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Augusta (GA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Augusta VA Health Care System, Chaplain Service in Augusta, Georgia, seeks a chaplain with specialized experience in end-of-life care, spiritual assessment, and staff wellness.

The role requires Master of Divinity, board certification, ecclesiastical endorsement, and English proficiency. The chaplain provides services across inpatient and outpatient settings, supports family education, and collaborates with VISN 7 teams to address spiritual needs within a

Qualifications

• Must possess a Master of Divinity or equivalent accredited degree.
• Board Certification by BCCI or equivalent with CPE requirements.
• Ecclesiastical endorsement current within the past 12 months.
• U.S. Citizenship and English proficiency required.
• Foreign education evaluated if applicable.

Responsibilities

• Provide advance care planning education for patients and families.
• Assist patients in expressing values through life review and end-of-life preparation.
• Support staff resiliency with emotional and spiritual care and wellness programs.
• Educate healthcare staff and trainees to screen for spiritual needs and refer to chaplains.

Skills

Advance care planning

Spiritual counseling

Staff wellness

Staff education

Education

Master of Divinity

Job description

This position is located in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Southeast Network (VISN 7), VA Augusta Health Care System (VAAHCS) in Augusta, Georgia located in the Chaplain Service Department. The Chaplain provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics and domiciliary throughout the United States.

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

• 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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 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.
• 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 d) 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.
• CPE Educator. CPE Educators must be certified by an agency whose CPE units of training are recognized by the BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®.
• CPE Educators must be certified by the same accrediting body as the CPE training program where the position is being filled for the CPE training program to maintain accreditation.
• 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. 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: GS-12 Specialized Experience

Specialized experience can be described as but not limited to:

• Providing advance care planning education, information, and counseling for patients and their families.
• Providing guidance and/or support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation.
• Supporting the development of staff resiliency by providing emotional and spiritual support and compassionate presence and develops programs for staff development and wellness.
• Providing education and equipping other healthcare staff and trainees to screen for spiritual and religious needs, and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress.

Certification. CPE Educators must be certified by an agency whose CPE units of training are recognized by the BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body th