Health and Wellness Coach

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Killeen (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks Health and Wellness Coaches to assist Veterans in making self-directed, lasting health changes aligned with their values. The role supports interventions that promote wellness, improve health outcomes, and enhance quality of life across care settings.

Candidates must meet basic requirements including U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, and education/experience criteria; NBHWC certification is preferred.

Qualifications

• Requires NBHWC certification or eligibility; non-certified may be temporarily appointed and must obtain certification.
• Experience with behavioral change interventions and patient-centered goal setting.
• Ability to document patient information using appropriate systems.

Skills

Health coaching processes

Lifestyle change promotion

Written communication

Verbal/non-verbal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in behavioral or social science

Education/experience equivalent

Four years related experience

Tools

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

Job description

Health and Wellness Coaches provide care to Veterans seeking self-directed, lasting changes aligned with their values through interventions that promote health and wellness and enhance well-being (i.e., what matters to the individual), improve health related outcomes, reduce likelihood of inpatient admission and improve quality of life across the continuum of care in all settings. 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. Health and Wellness Coach candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• Education and/or Experience.
  • Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in behavioral or social science or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR
  • Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. OR
  • Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Certification

• List of certifications. Candidates must be currently certified by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).
• Exception for Non-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches.
  • Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification, may be given a temporary appointment as Health and Wellness Coach under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
  • Non-certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Health and Wellness Coach at or above the full performance level or other designated occupation with the appropriate training and expertise.
  • Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted until certification is obtained.
  • Temporary appointments of non-certified Health and Wellness Coaches may not be extended beyond one year or 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).

Grandfathering Provision.

Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees in an occupation that requires a certification only at higher grade levels must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic or assignment specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations

Health and Wellness Coach, GS-07

• 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 health and wellness coaching processes and techniques.
  • Ability to promote positive lifestyle choices.
  • Ability to effectively communicate in writing through a variety of modalities.
  • Ability to effectively communicate verbally/non-verbally.

Health and Wellness Coach, GS-09.

• Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, GS-07. Experience includes but is not limited to: knowledge of health and wellness coaching processes and techniques; facilitating development of personalized health plans (including person-centered customized goals, action steps and interventions developed by the individual) focused on behavioral interventions based on current scientific knowledge and research; promoting positive lifestyle choices (habits and behaviors); communicating in writing through a variety of modalities; effectively communicating verbally/non-verbally; conducting interventions using one-on-one, couple or group modalities in outpatient and inpatient settings using multiple formats (face-to-face, telephone, virtual, etc.).
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of current research literature related to health and wellness, including behaviors that promote a healthy lifestyle and well-being.
  • Skill in using health and wellness coaching techniques to promote positive behavior change using one-on-one, couple or group modalities.
  • Skill in exercising effective interpersonal communication techniques to develop and maintain strong interpersonal relationships.
  • Ability to assist the client in developing a comprehensive personalized health plan based on a patient's action-oriented goals.
  • Ability to identify resources internal and external to the organization that are necessary for achieving patient overall health and well-being goals.
  • Ability to use information technology (IT) equipment and various/emerging technologies to carry out work responsibilities.
  • Ability to document patient information using appropriate systems.

Preferred Experience

• NBHWC Health and Wellness Coaching Certification
• Proficient in virtual/in-person Health and Wellness Coaching
• Delivering group patient encounters
• Experience documenting electronic medical records
• Proficient in Microsoft application, including Microsoft Teams
• Coaching experience with multidisciplinary healthcare teams

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-07.

Physical Requirements:

Refer to VA Handbook 5019