Blind Rehab Specialist

Blind Rehab Specialist

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Fresno, California

Salary Range: $89068 - $115793 Per Year

Job Summary: The primary purpose of the position is to manage and provide direct blind and vision rehabilitation training services to Veterans and Servicemembers with a visual impairment. The incumbent identifies, assesses trains manages and provides follow-up for Veterans using clinical resources of the facility. Incumbent is a member of the Blind Rehabilitation Service, the interdisciplinary Visual Impairment Services Team, and interacts with Rehabilitation Medicine, Audiology, Social Work.

Major Duties:

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist provides blind and low vision rehabilitation to help Veterans reclaim the confidence and skills needed to lead an independent, fulfilling life after vision loss. Within these broad categorizations, the employee must tailor patient care and support services to meet the needs of the individual patient. This includes the responsibility for assessment of each patient's needs and assuring the delivery of services that are responsive to the concerns of individual patients to the extent possible. Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialists are responsible for ensuring that practice credentials and certifications for respective disciplines and skill areas are current. NOTE: BRS, VIST coordinators and BROS may provide care in an outpatient setting, inpatient setting and in a home environment as deemed appropriate for clinical care. They are also responsible for practicing their full scope, including: (1) For BROS at the full performance level, the higher- level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent independently. BROS at the GS-12 grade level are administratively responsible for a clinical program. BROS at the GS-12 demonstrates mastery in adjustment counseling, coordinating access to services, assuring adequate compensation and benefits, and must conduct complex negotiations with the medical and benefit systems as well as non-VA service delivery systems as defined in VA Handbook 5005/110, Part II, Appendix G 42, Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist Qualification Standard GS-601. (2) Adjustment Counseling. This includes enabling Veterans with visual impairment to gain a better understanding of their visual diagnoses and resulting problems; discussing the Veteran's adjustment to sight loss; and assessing the Veteran's mental health status including signs of depression and screening for suicide risk. NOTE: Blind Rehabilitation Specialists and Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialists must have local established procedures for referring Veterans who report mental health conditions to licensed independent providers or licensed independent mental health providers for follow up, further evaluation and supporting engagement in mental health services as needed. (3) Assessment. This includes assessing functional capabilities in the use of visual motor and visual perceptual skills, in areas such as reading, writing, self-care, safe independent travel and comprehensively and accurately assessing and identifying the blind rehabilitation needs and goals of Veterans while taking into consideration all other factors affecting the Veteran with visual impairment. These include, level of visual function, physical health, medical conditions, mental health, cognitive function, level of motivation, age, social and cultural elements and other factors that influence the needs and goals of the Veteran with visual impairment. The specialist will utilize department specific assessment techniques and intake forms. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 570-08620-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: 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. . Education (1) The individual must have earned: (a) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major field of study in blind or vision rehabilitation, closely related program in rehabilitation, special education for the visually impaired, family and consumer science 3 education, or technology and industrial arts education [ ]. OR, (b) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined in (1)(a) above) that included, or was supplemented by, at least one of the following: i. At least 30 semester hours of directly related, upper level undergraduate courses (e.g., at least 200-course level or higher, or as identified by the college or university). ii. One full year of directly related graduate level coursework (typically at least 15 - 18 semester hours). iii. A certificate from an accredited college or university in the core curriculum in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy, assistive technology for blind and visually impaired individuals, or low vision therapy and a directly related practicum/internship in the occupation, either included in the degree or post-degree. iv. Foreign Graduates must have proof of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in blind rehabilitation. c. Certification. Required at the GS-11 grade level and above. (1) Applicants must possess at least one active, current, full and unrestricted certification to be eligible for appointment. Certification must be granted by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), or another equivalent, closely related professional credential in special education or rehabilitation. [ ] 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: (1) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. (2) Certification. Staff BRS candidates must meet the certification requirements in paragraph 4c(2) above. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs described at the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: [(a) Knowledge and understanding of highly specialized, complex evaluations and diagnostic tests and procedures of blind/vision rehabilitation. (c) Ability to properly assess Veterans having diverse and multiple disabilities to make recommendations for therapeutic interventions. (d) Skill in writing a blind/vision rehabilitation plan that includes evaluation information from multiple disciplines and contains observable, measurable goals that identify specific outcomes. (e) Ability to act as a subject matter expert in the blind/vision rehabilitation field and as a consultant, supervisor and/or mentor in evaluating and treating Veterans in specialty or program areas. (f) Ability to employ interventions and unusual motivational techniques and coordinate treatment with other professionals to achieve outcomes of the rehabilitation plan. (g) Ability to recommend appropriate blind/vision rehabilitation prosthetic devices for Veterans within the scope of practice, while making adaptations and modifications, as required. (h) Ability to independently develop, plan, and administer complex treatment programs. (i) Ability to communicate both orally and in writing with staff at all organizational levels, Veterans and their family members, community groups, and individuals with varying degrees of understanding.] Preferred Experience: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/04/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12836500. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2025-12-04