Creative Arts Therapist
What you'd do
The Creative Arts Therapist (Art) at the VA San Diego Health Care System (VASDHCS) is aligned under Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service providing rehabilitation for Veterans with complex conditions including amputation, paralysis, neurological and orthopedic disorders, behavioral health/ psychiatric diagnoses, dementia, TBI, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular disease, and multi-morbid presentations. This announcement may be used to fill future vacancies.
Major duties
Major duties to include but not limited to: Conducts formal, standardized assessments of needs, aptitudes, interests, and abilities; includes cognitive, psychosocial, sensory-motor, and functional domains relevant to outpatient mental health and rehabilitation. Develops and implements evidence-informed Art Therapy plans specifying scope, duration, and frequency; aligns goals with outpatient rehab plans and mental health treatment objectives. Applies specialty Art Therapy modalities to address sensory integration; neuromuscular and motor-cognitive integration; cognitive components; psychosocial skills; and psychological symptoms (trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, behavioral activation). Exercises high-level independent clinical decision-making; designs, develops, or adapts unique Art Therapy interventions; collaborates in co-treatment for complex presentations. Partners with Psychiatry, CLC, Psychology, PM&R/PMRS, Nursing, Social Work, OT/PT/SLP to integrate Art Therapy into treatment plans, rounds, and care transitions. Completes timely, accurate documentation (assessments, progress notes, encounters, consults, care plans, discharge summaries); ensures appropriate coding/workload capture (VERA/productivity). Maintains professional boundaries; provides a safe, trauma-informed environment for symbolic expression, processing, and skill acquisition; supports safety planning and crisis response as indicated. Incorporates knowledge of the roles and meaning of art across cultures; co-develops relevant interventions and programming; Serves as a subject matter expert; provides consultation, in-service education, mentorship; contributes to quality improvement and program evaluation. Identifies community resources for discharge planning; ensures coordinated handoffs to outpatient MH RT/CAT and rehabilitation services. Engages when mental health symptoms impede participation or progress toward physical rehab goals, or when symptom regulation/safety is required to enable rehabilitation (e.g., PTSD symptoms affecting engagement, severe anxiety limiting therapy tolerance, depressive symptoms diminishing activation). Performs focused inpatient mental health Art Therapy evaluations and delivers targeted interventions (e.g., grounding, regulation, trauma-informed approaches, behavioral activation) that directly support rehab milestones and safe participation. Initiates coordinated care with the Experiential & Recreation Therapy team; collaborates with PM&R/PMRS, Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing, Social Work, OT/PT/SLP to integrate Art Therapy into the inpatient rehabilitation plan of care and discharge planning. Ensures continuity by communicating treatment goals, progress, and recommendations to outpatient teams; supports transitions back to outpatient services to sustain gains Covers Outpatient mental health Creative Arts Therapy clinics and consults; Inpatient consultative involvement as clinically indicated to achieve physical rehab goals; cross-coverage for outpatient/inpatient needs during leave or program transitions. Serves as backup Government Purchase Card (GPC) holder, completing required training and adhering to VA/facility policies, internal controls, documentation, reconciliation, and audit requirements for micro-purchases and approved transactions. Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 AM-4:00 PM or 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; Tour may vary based on agency needs. Compressed/Flexible: Not Available. 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.
What you need to qualify
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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 in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: 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. 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 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. Certification: Certification in a specialty treatment area in art therapy such as, but not limited to: Trauma Informed Art Therapy, Focused-Oriented Art Therapy, Photo Therapy, Mandala Assessment Research Instrument (MARI®), Art Therapy Analytics, or in a directly related field such as dementia, motivational interviewing, and/or cognitive behavior therapy. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Creative Arts Therapist (Art): In addition to meeting the basic requirements, the completion of two years of progressively complex experience, which includes one year equivalent at the next lower grade GS-11 directly related to the position being filled, is required. -AND- In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in differentiating signs, symptoms, and contraindications as related to clinical diagnoses in order to independently determine appropriate interventions. Ability to apply advanced clinical judgment and critical thinking when interpreting and documenting interactions related to complex medical conditions. Ability to design comprehensive and complex screening tools and templates. Ability as a skilled listener sensitive to a variety of human needs. Ability to exhibit emotional stability, patience, and interpersonal skills. Knowledge of insight and psychological processes. Skill in using a higher degree of sensitivity of group dynamics, interpersonal interactions, and symptoms with special attention to complexity, comorbidity and contraindications. Knowledge of a variety of art mediums through continuing education for application in clinical settings. Knowledge of how therapy impacts revenue resource allocation as it relates to complex diagnosis, treatment, and diagnostic coding. Preferred Experience: Greater than 2 years progressively complex experience as Creative Arts Therapist with preference that experience hospital based Recreation/Creative Art Therapy Program. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
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