Creative Arts Therapist (Art)

Creative Arts Therapist (Art)

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Las Cruces, New Mexico

Salary Range: $61111 - $96116 Per Year

Job Summary: Unique clinical Art Therapist position that functions in Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) program section of Patient Care Services Division. Direct patient care position responsible for performing the work of a creative arts therapist of art, which encompasses a variety of different duties/responsibilities. Collaborates with HBPC & MFH program staff, guides/directs patient treatment to assist the Veteran obtain optimal levels of functioning while maintaining independence in the community.

Major Duties:

• This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Additional applications will be referred as needed. (NOTE: Applications expire after 90 days. Please update application thru USAJobs if you wish to be reconsidered.) Duties include, but are not limited to: Administering and interpreting art therapy assessments and utilizing clinical knowledge to develop unconventional assessment and interview approaches to effectively elicit information Reviewing pre-evaluation data in the medical record upon admission or through consult conducting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting assessment data across functional domains (i.e., behavioral, cognitive, communicative, emotional/affective, physical, sensory, social). Planning, organizing and implementing developmentally and situationally, appropriate and evidence-based comprehensive art therapy interventions for persons diagnosed with chronic or life-threatening conditions, as well as their families and in collaboration with an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary team Recommending and developing new treatment groups and programs (including co-treatment opportunities) for treating patients with complex medical, behavioral or mental health issues such as but not limited to dementia, parkinson, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) to develop or promote a variety of clinical outcomes such as improved coping with grief, loss, palliative care/terminal illness, behavior management, conflict resolution, self-expression or non-verbal communication of difficult subject matter Participating in other difficult work in co-treatment opportunities including neurological rehabilitation, physical rehabilitation, mental health recovery programs, and palliative care related to the symptoms of a terminal illness Planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating public relations for the program to inform and educate others about art therapy in various settings including the complex interactions of the therapeutic process as well as the efficacy of art therapy in complex cases Implementing and modifying treatment plan and goals compatible to patient functional capacity as necessary to assure optimum outcome Performing documentation of patient care, including progress notes, daily attendance/encounters, and reports (monthly, safety, and others), as needed Working closely with other treatment team members and community health care professionals to support the patient's medical treatment plan Providing direct 1:1 treatment and services that require the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical skills Carrying full professional responsibility for cases presenting a wide range of psychosocial and medical issues with no limitations (within his/her scope of clinical privileges) as to the range of service to be performed Providing information and referral services to various community services, as appropriate. Investigates community resources and makes information about them available to other team-members Participating in program planning and the development of working relationships with community agencies and resources Maintaining accurate statistics and reports, as required, within specified deadlines Submitting data on patient contacts promptly and accurately to program office for monthly statistic Participating in research, education, evaluations and studies May supervise Art Therapy, students, interns, and trainees Work Schedule: Typical tour of duty is Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:45pm but may be adjusted due to needs of the facility Telework: Ad-hoc available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/10/2026 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: The following education requirements apply to the creative arts therapist (art): A 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, A 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. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. The private organization must deem such education at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Registration Creative Arts Therapy (Art). Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted registration with the ATR. If hired under paragraph 3b(2)(b), registration cannot be waived. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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-09 Experience/Education: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-11 Experience:. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to identify current art resources in the community at the time of assessment, for discharge planning purposes. Ability to develop and implement quality improvement systems as related to internal and external regulatory requirements, including patient safety. Knowledge of diagnostic coding and symptoms of diagnoses in the provision of art therapy. Knowledge of the creative process and art media and their effect on the patients' cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical states. Ability to demonstrate and educate stakeholders on the value of the creative process as a therapeutic tool. Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries that reflect a trusting, empathetic, and respectful interaction. Skill in collaborating and maintaining liaison with an interdisciplinary team and educating the treatment team on theoretical framework of art therapy interventions. Preferred Experience: Minimum of two years experience in field of expertise Home care experience Experience with geriatric, chronically ill, high risk and/or Veteran population Experience with a Creative Arts Program to include development and implementation of policy and procedure Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: distant vision 20/40 in one eye with or without correction; field of vision 70 degrees; ability to distinguish red, green and amber; whispered voice at five feet, or average hearing loss of not greater than 40 dbs at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz. Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license.

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 11/10/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12830340. 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: 2026-11-10