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USAJOBS · 2 months ago

Blind Rehabilitation Specialist- Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Coordinator

Tampa, Florida, USA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$89K/yr - $115K/yr

1+ years exp

USAJOBS is seeking a Blind Rehabilitation Specialist to serve as a Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Coordinator at the Tampa Healthcare System. The VIST Coordinator will develop, implement, direct, and evaluate the Visual Impairment Service Team program, coordinating services for visually impaired Veterans and their families.

ConsultingGovernmentHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologyInternetStaffing Agency

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Following a model of lifetime care coordination offered to all Veterans with visual impairment who are eligible to receive services. The model requires varying degrees of intervention based on the clinical and psychosocial needs of each Veteran

Providing care coordination services to eligible Veterans with visual impairment by assessing (at least annually), coordinating and reviewing the Veteran's rehabilitation and adjustment needs and determining and referring the type and intensity of services needed, based upon clinical judgment and the Veteran's goals

Determining if additional intervention by other providers will be needed in order to develop a Veteran's individualized treatment plan. In such instances, the BRS clinician is expected to refer, consult, educate and/or cotreat with other providers in order to support the Veteran in addressing individualized goals (e.g., assessment for supplementary adaptive interventions, issuance criteria and core competencies for prosthetic recommendation)

Ensuring the update and maintenance of the VIST roster including all legally blind and low vision Veterans enrolled at a given VA medical facility

Providing outreach and education to VA medical facility and non-VA agencies and personnel through brochures and other educational materials about Veteran counseling and family information. Regardless of the level of care coordination, VIST Coordinators counsel Veterans with visual impairment about their health needs and refer them annually for medical examinations to include, but not limited to, ocular health examinations, physical examinations and audiological examinations

Conducting monthly VIST support groups for Veterans on various topics to enhance outreach, education, adjustment to sight loss, and peer-to-peer engagement

Ensuring the recommended prosthetic devices and rehabilitation interventions are in alignment with the Veteran's goals and individualized rehabilitation plan. NOTE: This is a VIST Coordinator responsibility if a contracted vendor is utilized for therapeutic interventions

Promoting awareness of the needs of Veterans with visual impairments to the VA medical facility staff through identifying eligible Veterans with visual impairment in the Electronic Health Record

Maintain VHA Joint Commission criteria for Home Care Program

Qualification

Blind RehabilitationVision Rehabilitation TherapyOrientationMobilityAssistive TechnologySocial WorkAssessment SkillsCounseling SkillsCommunication SkillsInterpersonal Skills

Required

Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job

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

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

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 will not be appointed under authority of 38U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English

Education: The individual must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, closely related programs in rehabilitation, special education for the visually impaired, family and consumer science education, or technology and industrial arts education

OR, A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included, or was supplemented by, at least one of the following: At least 30 semester hours of directly related, upper-level undergraduate courses (e.g., at least 200-course level or higher, or as identified by the college or university)

One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 -18 semester hours)

A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree

Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in blind rehabilitation

Certification: Required at the GS-11 grade level and above. Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), or another equivalent, closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation

Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (VIST) Coordinators may be drawn from traditional blind/vision rehabilitation backgrounds, and from counseling backgrounds such as social work, vocational rehabilitation counseling, etc. VIST Coordinators must be credentialed/certified through: Any certification via the ACVREP OR Individuals appointed based on experience as a Social Worker must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level

A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. If appointed as a VIST Coordinator, Social Workers are appointed to the GS-0601 series, but must still maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment OR Certification via the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, (CRC) OR Individuals appointed based on experience in other health care occupations must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice in their field

If appointed as a VIST Coordinator, such individuals are appointed to the GS-0601 series, but must still maintain their full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification in their occupation to remain qualified for 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)

GS-12 : Blind Rehabilitation Specialist (VIST) Coordinator: Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to GS-11 grade level

Certification. VIST Coordinators must meet the certification requirements in the paragraph above

GS-12 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to meeting the KSA's described at the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSA's on their resume: Skill to effectively communicate both orally and in writing with staff at all organizational levels, with Veterans and their family members, with community groups, and individuals with varying degrees of understanding

Ability to assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for therapeutic interventions

Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines and contains observable, measurable goals that identify specific outcomes

Knowledge of VA and non-VA blind and low vision rehabilitation treatment programs

Skill in interpersonal relationships dealing with patients, employees, other team leaders, managers, and other stakeholders

Knowledge of psychological, rehabilitation, and counseling theories and principles

Ability to coordinate with various resources to identify and refer Veterans to suitable training programs

Ability to apply decision-making principles to adjust programs on a day-to-day basis, to develop short term and long-range goals, and to plan for future utilization of resources

Physical Requirements: It requires reaching overhead, reaching at or below the shoulder, pushing, pulling, some light lifting less than 25lbs. Walking, bending, sitting, and stooping. The employee works with outpatients in a medical center setting and occasionally with inpatients

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.