The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor within the Behavioral Health Care Line (BVAC) of the VA Western NY Health Care System (VHAWNYHS) is responsible for the provision of a full range of Vocational Counseling and Rehabilitation Services associated with the daily operations of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program. 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. Education: Satisfactory completion in an accredited college or university of all the requirements for a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, including an internship; or a master's degree in counseling psychology or a related field, including at least 30 semester hours of course work in such areas as foundations of rehabilitation counseling, human growth and development, counseling theories and techniques, vocational assessment, career development, job placement, case management, and medical/psycho-social aspects of disability. Total graduate study must have included or been supplemented by a supervised internship. [For master's degree programs without a supervised internship/practicum, substitution is allowed for successful professional experience following completion of the master's degree. Experience suitable for substitution must be one full year in direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs, other than those in correctional facilities. The experience or internship/practicum must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.] Grade Determinations: GS-11 In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level. NONQUALIFYINGEXPERIENCE: Vocational rehabilitation experience obtained prior to completion of the requirements for the master's degree is not qualifying. OR In addition to meeting the basic requirements, successful completion of 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in rehabilitation counseling or counseling psychology. [NOTE: If one year of work experience is credited for determining minimum qualifications, that year cannot also be used for determining grade level. For example, for candidates with two years of qualifying work experience, but no internship/practicum, the first year of experience is used to meet the basic requirement and the second year of experience to qualify for GS-11.] Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) required. References: VA Handbook 5005/6 Part II Appendix F2. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Qualification Standard Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service, paragraph 2. ["Duties include but are not limited to:\nThis serves as a standard Rehabilitation Counselor (RC) functional statement (FS) to be used within VHA Voc Rehab Service programs throughout the VHA. The incumbent performs the majority or all the following major duties and responsibilities in this standard FS. The incumbent serves as a journey level Rehabilitation Counselor providing personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions, and case coordination services. Uses evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities, such as physical, psychosocial, psychological, or neurological barriers, integrate successfully into the community. Serves Veterans who have myriad barriers to overcome and achieve competitive employment, educational, and independent living goals. Provide a variety of professional rehabilitation counseling services such as personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities and professional counseling practices to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment and educational and independent living goals. Uses effective counseling skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community. Conduct biopsychosocial assessments using medical records, pertinent disability documentation, observation and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories. Selects, administers, and interprets vocational and other psychometric instruments to evaluate abilities, transferrable skills, functional capacity, labor market analyses, aptitudes, interests, values, preferences, and overall work resilience and synthesize into an interpretive data report. Customizes vocational exploration activities to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals. Administers Measurement Based Care instrument to track progress throughout treatment and adjust goals and services as needed. Consult with interdisciplinary teams to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions. Synthesize assessment information to identify barriers to employment and their vocational implications. Completes various quality assurance and improvement activities to improve services provided. Determine clinical need for and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services to include work restoration/resilience treatment, transitional work placement and/or competitive employment, assistive technology, financial benefits counseling, and potential benefits\nprotections. Develop patient-centered treatment plans utilizing Specific, Measurable, agreed upon, Realistic, and Time-based (SMART) goals and provides ongoing assessment of Veteran's progress. Procures and manages transitional work agreements from community, state, and federal agencies. Monitors worksite compliance with agreements to ensure Veterans are appropriately trained and evaluated consistent with industry standards. Devises solutions to reduce and/or eliminate barriers and meet Veterans' placement needs which may require substantial modification to environmental or functional demands within a work setting. Provide psychoeducational and/or psychotherapeutic groups to facilitate effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills, work and life skills fostering independence and recovery. Provides job development, customized employment, job carving, job coaching, job accommodation, advocacy, and adaptation services to both Veterans with severe disabilities and to educate and support employers. Uses marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within the VA and the local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities. Establishes and maintains a liaison between the Medical Center and organizations within the community which provide competitive employment opportunities for Veterans. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]