Supervisory Recreation Therapist

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Queens (WV); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System seeks a Supervisory Recreation Therapist to provide administrative and clinical oversight for the Recreation/Creative Arts Therapy Service.

The role involves supervising a diverse clinical staff, managing a caseload, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Applicants must hold CTRS certification and a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation or a NCTRC-approved field; grandfathering provisions may apply for

Qualifications

• CTRS certification required.
• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in recreation therapy or related field approved by NCTRC.
• May qualify under Grandfathering Provision as described for VA occupation.
• Citizenship requirement and ability to obtain/maintain appropriate credentials.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative oversight for the Recreation/Creative Arts Therapy Service.
• Supervise and manage a diverse clinical staff and caseload.
• Ensure compliance with accrediting and regulatory requirements; oversee program quality.
• Develop policies, procedures, and manage time/attendance and staff development.

Skills

Clinical supervision

Staff development

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Program management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation or related field

CTRS certification

Job description

The Supervisory Recreation Therapist serves in both an administrative and clinical position with full authority and responsibility for providing administrative oversight for the Recreation/Creative Arts Therapy Service at VA NY Harbor Healthcare System. Supervises, motivates, and manages a diverse clinical staff, including inherent strategic planning and fiscal management, in addition to providing clinical care and maintaining a caseload of CLC residents.

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.
• Education: The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist, creative arts therapist (art), creative arts therapist (dance/movement), creative arts therapist (drama), and creative arts therapist (music):
  • Recreation Therapist
    • (a) A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation. The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC);
      • OR,
    • (b) A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The degree must be approved by the NCTRC. If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived. 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).
• Required Certification:
  • Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 4b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived.
• Loss of Credential: A recreation or creative arts therapist who fails to maintain the required registration and/or certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

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 Requirements

• Creditable Experience.
  • Knowledge of Current Professional Recreation Therapy or Creative Arts Therapy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities (also referred to as "clinical competencies") associated with current professional recreation or creative arts therapy practices. Evidence of such experience includes private practice, U.S. military services, local/state/federal government organizations, for profit/non-profit organizations, health care, or educational facilities.
  • Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to the next lower grade level. Experience satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which may be paid or non-paid employment as a recreation or creative arts therapist.

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Supervisory Recreation Therapist, GS-12

• Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to provide treatment in complex cases and work with great independence.
  2. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
  3. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
  4. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
  5. Ability to use evidence-based practices, clinical practice guidelines in a professional area, and to guide the staff in applying these tools.
  6. Knowledge of organizational theories and strategies to positively impact the overall goals and objectives within the service.
  7. Knowledge related to administrative functions such as fiscal, material supply, equipment management, and clinical and program management.

Assignments.

For all assignments above the full-performance level, the higher- level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Supervisors at this level are typically found in complexity level 2 or level 3 medical centers, if needed. They are responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of program services. They evaluate programs to ensure proper coordination with the overall delivery of health care. The incumbent has full administrative oversight for planning and directing the staff assignments in a variety of clinical settings. They have responsibility for general or technical supervision of key clinical and training programs. Typical duties include: assigning work, monitoring clinical performances of staff, resolving staff conflicts which may interfere with the delivery of services, identifying continuing education and training needs, preparing performance standards and ratings. They interview candidates for positions and recommend appointments, advancements, or administer disciplinary actions, when appropriate. The supervisor accepts, amends, or rejects completed work, and ensures that performance requirements are met. They ensure compliance with the accrediting agency and regulatory requirements, establish and monitor the quality of the pre-analytical processes as part of the overall service's quality management program and take corrective action, as needed. The supervisor ensures orientation and competency assessment of assigned staff. The supervisor develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area, to include time and attendance and leave management. The supervisor conducts department meetings at regular intervals to convey information to staff. The supervisor maintains interdepartmental relations with other services/departments, individuals, and community partners to accomplish medical center goals and may provide clinical treatment in the most complex of cases.

Reference:

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

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements:

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.