Therapy Assistant-Recreation Therapy

The Therapy Assistant collaborates in the development, planning, and coordination of clinical therapeutic recreation programming for Veterans receiving services at the Battle Creek VAMC. They are responsible for carrying out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation Services, inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation activities.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Carrying out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation Services inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities.
• Working with patients who have a variety of illnesses, diseases and /or disabling conditions with varying degrees of impairment.
• Works as an integral member of the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) Section staff of Social Work Service, providing patient care bases on practical knowledge of the modalities used in therapeutic recreation.
• Responsible for assisting in the development of specific activities and routines to maintain or improve patient's general state of physical and/or mental health.
• Independently supervises on-station and off-station general (diversional) activity programs for diverse types of disabilities which include psychiatric diagnoses, dementia, neuromuscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, AIDS; amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular diseases, and patients with multiple diagnoses.
• Strives to lessen mental and physical deterioration, maintaining the highest degree of self-help and independence within limitations of a patient's disability and provides feedback to the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Program Manager, designee, and/or other team members as appropriate.
• Works with Recreation Therapists in selecting, adapting, and/or adjusting recreation therapy modalities in accordance with treatment goals.
• May independently modify techniques and develop innovative approach as necessary to ensure the realization of patient treatment goals are met in non-complex cases.
• Transports and/or escorts patients in support of community re-integration programs, provides instruction on expectations and observes patient for unpredictable behavior. Physically assists those in need of assistance in getting into and out of the vehicles.
• Assists in maintaining the leisure activity areas, offices, outdoor activity areas by performing periodic on-site inspections and reporting any problems i.e., confidence course, pavilion, etc.
• Completes medical record documentation, specific to clinical programming, according to VHA, Joint Commission Accreditation Healthcare Organizations, CARF and Recreation Therapy guidelines.
• Continuously evaluates the effectiveness of ongoing recreational activities in assigned program area from the standpoint of participant response, resources, unforeseen developments and program objectives.
• Solicits support and involvement of volunteers in specialized treatment programs. Follows up on activities involving these individuals or groups for confirmation, supplies needed and other details pertinent to the activity.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Sunday-Thursday 8:00am-4:30pm.One shift per week may be an evening shift; based on the needs of the service.
Position Description/PD#: Therapy Assistant-Recreation Therapy/PD91645A

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/23/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: practical knowledge of procedures and techniques of Therapeutic Recreation Services; knowledge of basic medical terminology; practical knowledge of human body and psychology; knowledge of proper use of adapted equipment such as wheelchair bus, walker, wheelchair, adaptive sports/activity equipment; basic skill and ability to persuade geriatric, psychiatric, PTSD, substance abuse, stroke, AIDS, cardiac and other patients with special problems to participate in general social and recreational activities; knowledge of lifeguard duties and certification as a lifeguard; knowledge of gym equipment functions and safety requirements. OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed at least 9 semester hours of graduate education directly related to the work of the position, for example: occupational, physical, manual arts, corrective, or educational therapy.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Physical Requirements: The work involves regular and recurring physical exertion, such as prolonged walking or standing, bending, moderately heavy lifting or moving of equipment, pushing wheelchairs, positioning severely disabled patients, transferring from bed to wheelchair and assisting patients in ambulation. The work requires specific common physical characteristics and abilities, such as above average agility and dexterity. The position requires physical fitness and swimming skills.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: A pre-placement physical examination is required.
• You must possess a current, valid US driver's license and you must provide a copy of your current driving record.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.