Summary
The Recreation Therapist is assigned to Whole Health at the Thomas E. Creek Amarillo VA Health Services Center, serving the residents of the Community Living Center and assisting in outpatient services teaching Yoga and Tai Chi classes. Recreation Therapist provides treatment interventions incorporating the four-step process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient treatment services. The incumbent must meet all criteria included in the qualification standards.
Duties
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be July 30, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Duties include but not limited to: Administers recreation therapy and recreation assessments and develops individualized treatment plans and interventions with knowledge of symptoms of diagnosis in the provision of recreation therapy based on current literature and best practices. Provides assessment and recreation therapy interventions for Veterans with Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. Plans comprehensive therapeutic recreation programing meeting diverse needs of Veteran population in the Community Living Center. Plans recreation calendar, allocates staff and volunteers resources. Serves as recreation therapy subject matter expert and representative on interdisciplinary teams and provides education to staff, students, patients, families and caregivers about the benefits of recreation therapy and recreation treatment interventions and goals. Demonstrates understanding of recreation therapy and its effects on human growth and development, leisure development, diagnostic classifications, and symptomatology when developing recreation therapy interventions. Teaches Yoga classes in the Community Living Center (CLC) and outpatient settings. Must hold, at minimum, an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 200 (E-RYT®200) registration with Yoga Alliance or hold an International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT®) certification (C-IAYT®). Temporary appointments of non-registered or non-certified Yoga Instructors will not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. Teaches Tai Chi/Qigong in the CLC and outpatient settings. Must be certified to provide tai chi or qigong instruction. Acceptable certifications must have required successful completion of a minimum30-hour tai chi or qigong instruction program. Temporary appointments of non-registered or non-certified Tai Ch/Qigong Instructors will not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment. Develops and implements quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety. Collaborates and maintains effective communication with all patients, caregivers, interdisciplinary teams, medical center staff and community partners. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 0800-1630 Telework: Available - Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. A current, unrestricted, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. Operation of a motor vehicle is required for this position. A pre-employment examination will be required to validate your ability to operate a motor vehicle. A full physical will not be required. 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.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/. Accreditation Information: The bachelor's degree or higher, must be from an accredited college or university approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) OR a bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist. Degree must be approved by the NCTRC. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the NCTRC website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.