- Position Title
- Recreation Therapist
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBSX-12751058-25-JOT Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Tuesday, June 17, 2025 to Thursday, September 11, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Are you a Veterans Health Administration employee?
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.
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.
Preferences
1.
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.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
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).
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in the Recreation Therapist position with the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System. Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience 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. FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS WILL RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. YOUR RESUME MUST SUPPORT THE RESPONSES YOU SELECT.
Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a recreation or creative arts therapist, on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level, or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Employees who were 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.
(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration/certification, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) Recreation and creative arts therapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements, in effect at the time of reentry, as a recreation or creative arts therapist.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
English Language Proficiency:
Recreation Therapist must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Are you proficient in spoken and written English?
Recreation Therapist must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Are you proficient in spoken and written English?
2.
Education Requirements:
Please select the option that best describes your education. (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION CLAIMS)
Please select the option that best describes your education. (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION CLAIMS)
3.
Certification Requirement:
Applicants must be certified in Recreation Therapy as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) by the NCTRC. Do you currently possess a CTRS certification?
Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the 5 eligibility requirements for registration and/or certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registration and/or certification during this temporary full-time appointment may be terminated. The exception only applies to positions at the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be registered and/or certified.
Applicants must be certified in Recreation Therapy as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) by the NCTRC. Do you currently possess a CTRS certification?
Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the 5 eligibility requirements for registration and/or certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate recreation or creative arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registration and/or certification during this temporary full-time appointment may be terminated. The exception only applies to positions at the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be registered and/or certified.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
4.
GS-07 Experience Requirements:
Do you meet the basic requirements that are listed in the above questions?
Do you meet the basic requirements that are listed in the above questions?
5.
GS-09 Experience/Education Requirements:
In addition to the basic requirements, do you possess at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level, or you possess a master's degree in recreation therapy AND can you demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (NOTE: EXPERIENCE MUST BE DEMONSTRATED IN RESUME. ASSUMPTIONS MAY NOT BE MADE.)
In addition to the basic requirements, do you possess at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level, or you possess a master's degree in recreation therapy AND can you demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (NOTE: EXPERIENCE MUST BE DEMONSTRATED IN RESUME. ASSUMPTIONS MAY NOT BE MADE.)
- Knowledge of assessment tools and treatment for the diagnosis or disability of the patient.
- Knowledge to interpret and apply all health and safety regulations, to minimize and mitigate risks in the provisions of patient care, and environmental maintenance.
- Ability to effectively communicate and educate patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the treatment process.
- Knowledge to apply evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
6.
GS-11 Experience Requirement:
In addition to meeting the basic requirements, do you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level AND can you demonstrate the following KSA: (NOTE: EXPERIENCE MUST BE DEMONSTRATED IN RESUME. ASSUMPTIONS MAY NOT BE MADE.)
In addition to meeting the basic requirements, do you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level AND can you demonstrate the following KSA: (NOTE: EXPERIENCE MUST BE DEMONSTRATED IN RESUME. ASSUMPTIONS MAY NOT BE MADE.)
- Ability to adapt assessment tools and treatment interventions to address the complexity of the diagnosis or disabilities and demonstrate the clinical reasoning necessary to identify the need for further in-depth specific assessment of function and utilization of unconventional methods and techniques.
- Knowledge to independently interpret provider referrals and consults; and apply all health and safety regulations to minimize and mitigate risks in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
- Skill in effectively communicating and educating, in a clear and concise manner, with patients, families, caregivers, and other health care professionals to facilitate the interdisciplinary treatment process.
- Skill in independently utilizing appropriate screening and evaluation techniques required to appropriately provide direct patient care in areas such as, but not limited to recommendations for recreation therapy assistive devices, including fit and function.
- Skill in independently applying evidence-based and best practice therapeutic techniques and interventions.
- Knowledge of the principles and techniques in recreation therapy assessment and the treatment of recreation, leisure, and biopsychosocial functional deficits.