Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Rehabilitation Counselor
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CAZM-12497857-24-JG Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, August 1, 2024 to Thursday, July 31, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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3. Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.
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Preferences
1. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English? (limit characters)
2. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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3. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment. Will you comply with this requirement? (limit characters)
4. Driver's License: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License.

Do you possess a current and valid state-issued driver's license?
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5. Please indicate the highest grade you have held in the Federal government. (limit characters)
6. Please indicate dates of the highest grade you have held in the Federal service (if applicable). (limit characters)
Accuracy of Application Reminder:
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
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7. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a position within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The following section is used to determine basic requirements for appointment in the federal government and qualification for a Rehabilitation Counselor. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11.

The following KSAs should be reflected within your resume or on a separate document with your application package:

GS-9
  • Knowledge of human development and behavior, medical, psychosocial, and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental and cultural factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals.
  • Knowledge of history, philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling.
  • Ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information in conjunction with labor market trends and community/educational resources to develop an effective individual service delivery plan.
  • Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services.
  • Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement.
  • Knowledge of assessment tools and methods, functional capacity evaluations and specific vocational preparation to evaluate transferrable skills, residual capacities and needs for accommodations and assistive technology.

GS-11
  • Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities, appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community.
  • Knowledge of counseling theory, medical and psychiatric terminology and signs and symptomology of suicidal and homicidal ideations, to communicate appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers in relation to the Veteran and/or his/her family's psychosocial needs and to recommend and help implement suitable treatment plans.
  • Ability to use evidence-based and evidence informed vocational and professional counseling practices to include individual placement and support (IPS), customized employment and supported employment models and motivational interviewing skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community.
  • Knowledge of career development processes and job analysis methodology to determine essential functions of jobs, worksite modifications and/or alternative vocational goals given the work history and residual functional capacities of individuals with disabilities.
  • Ability to administer and interpret a wide variety of assessment methods including transferrable skills and labor market analyses to evaluate for individual interests, aptitudes and abilities and to identify suitable vocational goals for the development of an effective individual service delivery plan.
  • Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities.
  • Knowledge of military culture and specific factors and dynamics associated with Veterans, particularly combat Veterans, to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work.

Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of experience and/or education that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and/or education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience and/or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
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1. Education: Please select the statement below that best describes your experience to meet the basic requirement.
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2. Please provide the following information regarding your education: school attended, degree obtained, and date it will be, or was awarded.
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3. Certification: Do you have a current, full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling? Please attach copy with your application.
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4. Please provide certificate type, number and expiration date (if applicable).
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5. Grade Determination: Please choose ONE statement below that best describes your experience.
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***Application Package Notification & Important Information***

We appreciate your interest in available positions within the VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network.  It is our goal to forward every eligible and qualified candidate for consideration. 

Due to the nature of our systems, it is imperative that your application package be accurate and complete.  Therefore, prior to finalizing your application package and submitting for consideration:
  • Ensure all documents are appropriately selected, are legible, and have uploaded successfully (we recommend viewing them a second time to ensure no errors have occurred in the process).  Missing documents may cause your application package to be ineligible for consideration.
  • Ensure that all responses to the assessment questions are accurate and correctly reflect your current situation.  Question responses are used in determining if you meet specific eligibility and qualification requirements.

Please Note:  Until the closing date of the announcement, you can update or edit your package.  However, once your application package is submitted and the announcement period closes, we are unable to add documentation or alter your responses.  By submitting your package for consideration, you are attesting that your application package is complete and accurate.

Some helpful tips:
*Resume - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title
  • Grade Level (for federal positions)
  • Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2019 to April 2020)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)

*Education - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.

*Veteran's Preference - In order to receive appropriate preference consideration, you must submit proper documentation if you are claiming eligibility for Veteran's preference, which includes a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 or earlier version that shows character of service). Applicant's claiming 10-point preference should also submit an SF-15, Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference along with the required documentation listed on the SF-15 form (such as verification of service-connected disability percentage).

*Current or former VA or Federal Employees - You must submit a copy of a current and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (not an award SF50)

*Proof of current certification, licensure, or registration (if applicable).

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/transcripts/
https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/
https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/
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