Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation, counseling, and case management services to disabled Veterans and other eligible individuals. The purpose, objectives, services, and outcomes are developed by the VRC during the evaluation. The program’s primary focus will be on helping the Veteran find work and set goals and objectives to help them become more independent in their daily lives.
Duties
- Performs initial rehabilitation evaluations, entitlement determinations, rehabilitation planning, problem-solving counseling, adjustment counseling, case management including coordination of all rehabilitation services, case documentation, employment services, and administration and interpretation of vocation testing when appropriate.
- Assists the veteran in exploring and identifying rehabilitation needs, goals, and objectives.
- Provides individual and group counseling sessions to provide information and assistance with the program considering complete personal history, vocational and educational history, collection of data on limitations imposed by the veteran’s disability, abilities, aptitudes, and interests.
- Serves as a Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) coordinator for military service members with a service-connected disability.
- Provides a problem-solving counsel to a diverse adult population with a wide range of disabilities, supervising the veteran through his/her program of rehabilitation services, providing supportive guidance and counseling as needed.
- Provides case management services, which include coordination of rehabilitation services, documentation of progress and adjustment, and maintenance of case records according to VA regulations.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/18/2024.
All applicants must meet the Basic Educational Requirements and Specialized Experience described below, to qualify.
NOTE: Applicants must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience as stated below.
1. BASIC REQUIREMENT:
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- Education. Successful completion of a master’s degree (or higher) in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS)
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Internship or Experience Requirement. The required (1) supervised internship or (2) post-master’s degree experience is described as follows:
- Supervised Internship: The education in paragraph 1a must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counselling or case management specialization. The internship must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.
OR
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- Experience: One-year post-master’s degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.
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Grandfathering Provision. VRCs employed in VBA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certifications that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
- VRCs who are grandfathered into the GS-0101 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder or changed to a lower grade within the occupation or placed in a supervisory or managerial position.
- VRCs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.
- If VRCs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
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