Rehabilitation Technician (Alcoholism and Drug Dependence)

Not Required

Duties

The incumbent's chief responsibilities are within the service line, which provides inpatient and outpatient mental health services and comprehensive rehabilitation services to enrolled patients. New initiatives are often in the development and early stages of implementation, requiring coordinated support services. The Rehabilitation Technician serves as a Rehabilitation Technician (RT) in the General Domiciliary Treatment Program, known locally as the RRC. Duties are divided into two primary areas, residential rehabilitation and after care. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Conducts individual counseling sessions with each assigned resident and documents this information in their electronic chart. Facilitates group therapy sessions on substance abuse issues and recovery topics and subjects (AA/NA, guilt, anger, shame, etc.). Identifies major substance abuse problems from the psychosocial assessment and makes recommendations, in conjunction with the resident and the treatment team concerning interventions, treatment goals and objectives. Provides couples and/or family counseling sessions as needed and formulates in conjunction with the resident and the treatment team an aftercare treatment plan. Works with the social workers and the resident to find safe living arrangements or further treatment. Refers residents to local treatment programs and recovery supports to aide in the residents' ongoing recovery and aftercare. Plans and administers mental health and/or substance abuse related therapy as the employee responsible for Veterans on their assigned clinical team. For example, plans and carries out the treatment of domiciliary patients via individual and group counseling; determines interventions and schedules for therapy consistent with clinical needs and treatment objectives for assigned patients; selects and adapts treatment activities to needs and abilities of individual patients; modifies treatment procedures and treatment approaches to enable patient to overcome limitations and progress. The incumbent is provided regular clinical supervision, by the Program Manager, but must be able to function independently in management of individual and group care, as well as weekend coverage. Will be responsible for the development and delivery of specialized recovery-oriented group treatments. Responsible to assess increase in risk, regarding resumed use or suicidal/homicidal ideation, and communicate with the Inter Disciplinary Team. Responsible to participation in IDT meetings and share clinical impressions/concerns regarding ongoing treatment and discharge. Will complete and review a Recovery Plan for each Veteran assigned to their IDT upon discharge of the Veteran. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Sunday - Thursday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Rehabilitation Technician (Alcoholism and Drug Dependence)/PD02165A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/23/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: General Experience: You must have two years of experience involved in dealing with others which has demonstrated the applicant's aptitude for acquiring the skills and knowledges needed for medical rehabilitation work. For example, experience that demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective person-to-person relationships, skill in oral and written communication, ability to inspire confidence and motivate individuals, and capacity for leadership is qualifying as general experience. This experience may have been gained in positions concerned with health care, counseling, social service, teaching, business, or other similar fields. Specialized Experience: You must have three years of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Skill and ability: to assist professional personnel in effective operation of a rehabilitation treatment program for alcohol or drug-dependent patients; to act as a liaison and intermediary between patients and professional personnel; to understand and cope with the physical and psychological needs of these patients; and to guide and assist patients in following a prescribed treatment program. This experience must also have demonstrated that the applicant possesses knowledges, skills and abilities which enable the applicant to understand the problems, actions, reactions and symptoms of alcohol or drug-dependent persons and is able to relate to, empathize with, communicate with, motivate, and influence changes in behavior patterns of alcohol or drug-dependent patients. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Other Information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.