Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist)

VA Boston Healthcare System is seeking a Home Team Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist) for Geriatrics and Extended Care Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System - Brockton Facility.

The incumbent functions as a Clinical Occupational Therapy Specialist for the Geriatrics and Extended Care Service of the VA Boston Healthcare System, working within the Choose Home Team. This position requires a fully licensed and registered Occupational Therapist who possesses advanced specialty certification and is a subject matter expert in home and community-based rehabilitation of medically complex Veterans. The primary functions of this position are to perform comprehensive OT examinations and evaluations, interpret complex findings, establish an occupational therapy diagnosis and prognosis within the scope of OT practice, and independently implement advanced intervention plans for patients referred for specialized OT services while also integrating the rehab perspective and plan of care into the overall team plan of care. This position's secondary function is consultation for complex Veterans under other services who require home-based evaluation to avoid hospitalization or nursing home placement. This position operated autonomously in the community without other on site support.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Conducts independent, specialized, and advanced evaluations using standardized and evidence- based techniques across physical , cognitive, psychosocial, and environmental domains
• Consults with referring providers or interdisciplinary team members to adjust treatment plans in response to contraindications, precautions and treatment parameters
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge and skill in prescribing, measuring, and educating Veterans on the use of wheelchairs, scooters, lifts, ramps, HISA related modifications hospital beds, and other durable medical equipment used to optimize function in the home and community settings
• Collaborates with prosthetics and vendors to expedite delivery of ordered equipment and when necessary, installs/fits it in the home or facility. Determines when environmental modifications such as HISA are indicated and guides Veterans and families in completing applications
• Develop highly specialized, evidence based, client centered treatment plans appropriate for the disabilities and conditions being treated. Establishes measurable goals in collaboration with patients and caregivers. Independently implements and adapts treatment programs based on clinical presentation and evolving medical status.
• Implements a full range of specialized OT interventions, including ADL/IADL training, cognitive retraining, environmental modification, assistive technology, functional mobility training, physical agent modalities, neuromuscular retraining, community reintegration and other evidence-based treatment techniques.
• The incumbent must adhere to the facility's rules, policies, and procedures, as well as the American Occupational Therapy Association Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics ensuring high-quality patient care.

Functional Statement: 523-F08569
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Compressed Schedule: May be Authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

NOTIFICATIONS:

• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• This position is not a bargaining unit position.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Selectee may be required to work at any Boston Healthcare System campus, as needed.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

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 and/or Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist
    • NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. or
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field
    • NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.
  • Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
  • Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220
• Certification
  • Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
• State Licensure
  • Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license , to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.

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).

All OTs employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date (December 13, 2019) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation. 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) They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) If an OT who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee 5 will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
(3) OTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) OTs 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.

Grade Determinations: Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist) GS-13

• Education, Experience, and Licensure - Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the [GS-12 grade] level and directly related to the position being filled [and one of the following:
  • A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area. This time must be within the past five years;
  • Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA;
  • Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area; OR
  • An additional advanced degree in a related field.
  • At least 2 years of acute care experience and 5 years of home care experience.
  • Must have experience and comfort with fitting wheelchairs.
  • Must have experience coordinating discharges from contract nursing homes that require large equipment and/or home alterations.
  • Must have experience with in-home caregiver training with large equipment
• Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • (a) Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
  • (b) Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners.
  • (c) Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization.
  • (d) Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice.
  • (e) Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization.
  • (f) Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working with the geriatric population in more than one clinical setting.
• Experience with program development and innovation.

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-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy GS-13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

IMPORTANT: 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.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.