The Art Therapist is assigned to the Recreation Therapy Department in the Rehabilitation and Extended Care (REC) service line at the Black Hills Health Care System. Art Therapist provides art therapy treatment interventions incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient treatment services.
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 Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: The following education requirements apply to the recreation creative arts therapist (art). A master's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy approved by the American Art Therapy Association on or before 3 June 30, 2016. If the degree is received after June 30, 2016, a master's degree or higher from an accredited college or university, with a major in art therapy, must be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Art Therapy Education: a committee of the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Education Program. OR A master's degree in a related field, plus graduate coursework and supervised field experience in art therapy. Acceptable related fields include: Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, and Psychiatry, AND must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board. If hired under this education, the registration cannot be waived. Registration/Certification: Creative Arts Therapy (Art). Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 4b(2)(b), registration cannot be waived. 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 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-9 level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level, the candidate must be registered and/or certified. Grandfathering Provision May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). 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. 6 (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. Grade Determinations-Creative Arts Therapist (Art) GS-9 Experience/Education. None beyond the basic requirements Assignment. Employees at this level serve in an entry level position as creative arts therapist (art). Employees have knowledge of their respective discipline and work with direct supervision and guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff. Established treatment procedures are substantially adapted and applied for patients who are acutely ill. Therapists at this level may be given general assignments in a program area. GS-11 Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level. and Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: i. Ability to identify current art resources in the community at the time of assessment, for discharge planning purposes. ii. Ability to develop and implement quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety. iii. Knowledge of diagnostic coding and symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy. iv. Knowledge of the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states. v. Ability to demonstrate and educate stakeholders on the value of the creative process as a therapeutic tool. vi. Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflect a trusting, empathetic, and respectful interaction. vii. Skill in collaborating and maintaining liaison with an interdisciplinary team and educating the treatment team on theoretical framework of art therapy interventions. Assignment. Employees at this level serve as a creative arts therapist (art) at the full performance level. They provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for complex patients only. They gather informal art-based assessment of patients' needs, aptitudes, interests, and abilities. The therapist also develops and implements individualized art therapy treatment plans, to include the scope, duration, and frequency of treatment. Treatment goals may include, but are not limited to: emotional regulation, resolving traumatic memories, active meditation, building empathy and a sense of self-worth, and identifying potential risks and the need for adaptive interventions to facilitate improved well-being. Duties may include, but are not limited to developing art therapy programs, interventions, and instructional programs, including typical and atypical materials and resources that are appropriate to the needs, skills, and aptitudes of the patient. The therapist supports engagement in, and reflection of, the art process and product, through an art therapy framework where the engagement develops specific skills attained through art making that may include increased independence, focus to task, sense of self-worth, improved coping skills, 24 self-care, and social skills. They provide a safe environment for patients to understand the symbolic expression of their art product, process, and their experience with the materials as it relates to their recovery and wellness. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following: The Art Therapist will be responsible for providing evaluation and treatment for therapeutic art activity at the Fort Meade/Hot Springs Medical Centers, Medical Foster Homes, inpatient/outpatient mental health, Veterans' home and CBOC's as needed and some travel to these locations may be required. Evaluates patients with formal and informal assessments, develops individualized art therapy treatment plans and interventions with knowledge of symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy based on current literature and best practices. Identifies potential risks, modifies treatment plans as needed, and develops adaptive interventions to facilitate a safe therapeutic environment. Ability to work with diverse and complex patient populations and develop appropriate art therapy programs and interventions, including typical and atypical materials. Employs therapeutic objectives, which are complex because of the severe, and multiple disabilities regularly encountered. Handles difficult cases involving patients who have multiple diagnoses and/or other severe medical complications. Schedules patients for treatment and integrates Creative Art Therapy activities with other treatments to achieve the goals established with/for the patient. Develops and completes documentation of patient care including assessments, progress notes, encounters, consultations, care plans, and other reports with concise and clear clinical information as needed. Utilizes in-person, telehealth and Veteran Video Connect (VVC) avenues to complete evaluations and adjust patient treatment plans and goals at Fort Meade/Hot Springs Medical Centers, Medical Foster Homes, inpatient/outpatient mental health, Veterans' home and CBOC's as needed. Responsible to manage the resources assigned to Recreation Therapy Department/Art Therapy program. Such resources include managing the quarterly budget (Fund Control Point), management of supplies and management of the recreation space. Serves as Art Therapy subject matter expert and representative on interdisciplinary teams and provides education to staff, students, patients, families and caregivers about the benefits of art therapy and treatment interventions and goals. Knowledge of the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states and understanding of the symbolic expression of the art product and process. Utilizes the Creative Art Therapy modality with individual/groups of patients having physical, emotional and social disabilities. Provides the equipment, materials, instruction, encouragement, or counseling necessary to promote a positive and therapeutic activity. Veterans with complex disorders require unusual motivation techniques to be administered. Administration of the treatment requires adapting equipment or activities to accommodate disabled patients and maintain safety. Maintains proper judgment in determining appropriate therapeutic art therapy and the appropriate interval of treatment in administering for Veterans. Uses specialized approaches in selecting treatment appropriate for patients who may exhibit or suffer from extreme emotional stress, muscular dysfunction, psychosocial dysfunction, or other physical, mental emotional and/or social limitations. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized