Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist) - Driver Rehabilitation

Summary The Occupational Therapist Clinical Specialist (Driver Rehabilitation) provides advanced evaluation and treatment for Veterans with physical, cognitive, and visual impairments affecting driving ability. Conducts clinical and on-road assessments, develops treatment plans, recommends adaptive equipment, and provides consultation to support safe community mobility and independence. Learn more about this agency Duties Duties include but are not limited to the following: Develops, tracks, enhances, and grows the Driver's Rehabilitation Program to meet veteran needs for the Orlando VA Healthcare System. Responsible for the supervision of assigned OT residents/fellows, students, and volunteers that rotate through the outpatient area. Given that this person is the subject matter expert in Driver's Rehabilitation, it is expected that they will participate in an OT Residency/Fellowship program as either a Mentor or Educator. Stays up to date with Driver's Rehabilitation policies as well as maintain networking relationships with Orlando Providers and subject matter experts at other VA sites throughout the nation. Be well versed in the latest technological advancements in Driver's Rehabilitation including safety equipment, cognitive training, and hand/eye skills required to independently drive an automobile. Handles all Driver's Rehabilitation referrals for therapy as well as teaching therapists at other sites the nuances of referring care for this population. Plans, develops, coordinates, and implements driver rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities. Conducts clinical and on-road assessments, equipment of vehicle modification recommendations, and training. Evaluation and Assessment specific to Driver's rehabilitation as it includes several areas pertinent to driving in addition to a standard Occupational Therapist Evaluation. These additional areas include acuity, field of vision, color vision, visual perception, visual processing time, attention, concentration, reasoning judgement, road sign recognition and rules of the road. Evaluates license eligibility. Monitors and tracks data, utilize available resources effectively, evaluate program quality, and generates reports for local, and/or VISN and/or VACO leadership. Develops and coordinates treatment and/or educational programs with a concentrated emphasis on Driver's Rehabilitation. Monitors outcomes and implements strategies for program improvement in the Driver's Rehabilitation arena. Assists the Service AO with clinical knowledge and guidance when needed upon answering Congressional and White House inquiries. Collaborates with other Clinical Specialist, Coordinators', and Supervisors to assist with administrative processes to obtain resources and equipment for operations of this specialty area. Assists with developing local policy for new or emerging practices and technologies. Performs detailed Driver's Rehabilitation Examinations and has a solid understanding of therapeutic treatments that facilitate positive outcomes. Plans effective goal-directed treatment programs that are appropriate and indicated for the disability/condition being treated. Provides clients and families with counseling, education, information, and training regarding the nature of their disease or disability, treatment plans and goals, home program, and post-program adjustment. This is accomplished individually or with the interdisciplinary team, family, and client. Recognizes contraindications and appropriateness of treatment prescribed by the primary provider and consults with provider if these are in question. Appropriately plans client discharge and/or need for continuing treatment and terminates treatment when the client reaches maximum benefit. Documents all treatment, progress, education, counseling and training in the patient's medical record. Documentation Is completed per station policies for content and timeliness. This includes timeliness of encounters and submission of charges. Plans, develops, and implements comprehensive, complex treatment programs for individual patients or groups of patients to relieve pain, restore or enhance performance, and maximize ability to function independently as possible. s patients participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Performs assessments, evaluations, and treatments for the prevention of physical disability, movement dysfunction, and pain resulting from injury, disease and/or disability. Addresses psychological factors (thoughts, behavior, emotions) and social aspects of human performance as they influence mental health and participation in everyday activities. Must be willing to participate in the OT functional cognition program when census is low in the Driver's Rehab Clinic. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist); 81648F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 dentification 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. Qualifications Must meet all qualifications standards at time of application. 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. English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education and/or Experience. (Transcripts Supplied)-The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: 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. OR 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. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph 3b(2) if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph 3e of this appendix. Certification-Documentation Submitted - Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT. State Licensure-Documentation Submitted - 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. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing, must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. Grade Specific Requirements for this occupation and grade; 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; OR Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA; OR Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area; OR An additional advanced degree in a related field. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice. Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners. Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization. Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice. Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization. Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization. Assignment. Clinical OT specialists at this grade level serve as subject matter experts and as consultants to occupational therapists and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the areas of occupational therapy that are beyond the general practice of occupational therapy. This individual must demonstrate skills and techniques for a specific patient population that has highly complex occupational and/or psychosocial impairments. Clinical OT specialist may initiate, lead, and support research projects related to clinical needs. This may include grant writing, guiding others in the process, and direct clinical participation in research. Preferred Experience: Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) credential Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with the work required for this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. 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/. Additional information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: 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. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.