Recreation Therapist

Summary The Recreation Therapist will assess, develop and implement treatment plans for individual patients in an acute care medical setting directed toward physical, psycho-social, and cognitive rehabilitation. Recreation Therapists will work with patients with complex medical conditions seen at the Clinical Research Center. Learn more about this agency Duties As a GS-0638-11 Recreation Therapist your duties may include but are not limited to the following: Performing comprehensive assessment of each patient to include the patient's strengths and limitations; conducting analysis of assessment data and performing clinical assessments; Providing individual and group treatment; Planning and carrying out a full range of treatment where therapeutic objectives are complex and the procedures involved require the application of highly specialized skills and knowledge; Devising or adapting equipment to carry out treatment with severely disabled patients; Employing different motivational techniques to obtain the participation of the patient in his/her rehabilitation; Creating and implementing a treatment plan based on physician referral information, assessment and information from the medical record. Requirements Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date. Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus. Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. Based on your appointment, a one or two-year trial/probationary period may be required. A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period. Position requires Education. Please include a copy of your transcripts. Position is designated as an "emergency essential" position. See definition of this designation in the Additional Information Section of this announcement. If selected, you must pass a pre-employment medical examination, provide evidence of immunization, and be free from communicable diseases. Must be credentialed as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Physical Requirements include walking, occasional running, bending, stretching, crawling, lifting, pushing, carrying and reaching. You must be able to lift and move heavy items weighing 45 lbs. with or without a reasonable accommodation. The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, carts, or machines; exposure to contagious diseases or irritant chemicals. This position has on-call or call-back requirements. Qualifications EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: For this position, you must demonstrate that you have either: A. A bachelor's or higher degree in therapeutic recreation, art therapy, drama therapy, dance therapy, or music therapy. OR B. A bachelor's or higher degree in a related field involving therapeutic emphasis or concentration that included at least 36 hours in therapeutic courses as follows: 18 semester hours of therapeutic recreation courses; and 18 semester hours that included a combination of abnormal psychology, human anatomy and development, disabilities, and general recreation. AND Additional Qualifications Requirements: A. You must demonstrate 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: performing individual recreation therapy clinical assessments of a patient's functional abilities related to cognitive, physical, social, emotional, educational, and behavioral domains; planning and providing recreation therapy to patients in accordance with the Assess, Plan, Implement, Evaluate, and Document (APIED) process; evaluating patients progress with recreation therapy; collaborating with other therapists to identify alternative treatment options; providing counseling to and education for patients and their families; and providing individual and group treatment. OR B.Completed 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field. OR C. A combination of post-graduate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Selective Factor: In order to meet minimum qualification requirements you must demonstrate possession of the selective factor of this position. Selective factor include; You must be credentialed as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay. Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12943577 Education This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education. Additional information This position is designated as an "emergency essential" position and the selected candidate will be considered an "emergency essential" employee and will be required to be available, ready, willing, and able to report for duty under all circumstances (e.g., inclement weather, government closings and holidays, lapses in appropriations, non-emergency and emergency situations) for operation 24 hours a day and 365 days per year coverage. NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should apply online to this announcement to receive consideration. Visit our Applying page for helpful information on the application process. If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information. We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s). Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions. If selected, you may be eligible to receive a salary above the minimum based on superior qualifications and/or a special need of the Government for your services. This applies to employees paid under the General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System (FWS) pay systems and is at the discretion of the hiring manager. A salary above the minimum must be approved before the appointment. NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.