Creative Arts Therapist (Art)

About the role

The Creative Arts therapist (Art) is responsible for developing, organizing, and administering Creative Arts Therapy programs to provide therapeutic treatment to patients in various areas. These areas include General medical and Surgical, Chemical Dependency Center, Acute Psychiatry, Day Treatment Center, and the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. Services are provided in both inpatient and outpatient settings within Memphis VAMC.

Responsibilities

• Evaluates, establishes goals based on evaluation findings, and develops treatment interventions.
• Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimum outcome.
• Uses Creative Arts Therapy expertise for direct service delivery to patient. Acts as a subject matter expert to staff, students, and other healthcare professionals.
• Serves as Creative Arts/Recreation Therapy representative on interdisciplinary teams as assigned or needed.
• In consultation with patient, their families, and caregivers, Creative Arts therapists shall educate as required regarding treatment interventions and goals, in addition to any consideration involving adaptation to better ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
• Completes other administrative duties as assigned (work orders, information processing, program development.) for the PM&R Service or Medical Center.
• Professionally represents the Service and/or administration on behalf of the Medical Center during off-station events, committee meetings, contacts with outside agencies.
• Attends staff meetings as directed.
• Maintains timely and appropriate documentation of all consults, initial evaluations, progress notes, discharge notes, patient/family education, workload statistics, QA monitors, patient attendance records and other clinical activities. Follows appropriate billing and coding practices.
• Inputs scheduling data into computer systems or through approved charting methods and updates daily to reflect status of patients. This is to be done in concert and accordance with Medical Center policies on scheduling, consult management and electronic wait list entry.
• Completes all employee/patient incident documentation in a timely manner as required by hospital or Service policy.

Requirements

• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• 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).

Qualifications

• 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 June 30, 2016, or Master's degree in a related field, plus graduate coursework and supervised field experience in Art Therapy, and full, current, and unrestricted registration as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) approved by the Art Therapy Credentials Board.

Pay

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grade(s) in which you are applying:

• GS-9 Creative Arts Therapist (Entry Level): None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-11 Creative Arts Therapist (Full Performance Level): At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level (GS-9).

Physical Requirements

• Moderate Lifting (15-44 pounds); Moderate carrying (15-44 pounds); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking; Standing; Climbing (use of legs and arms); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Clear Speech; Emotional and mental stability.