Chaplain

Summary

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service (CS). The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliaries throughout the United States. Most Chaplain services are usually provided in a medical facility structure.

Duties

The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and spiritual issues. Ensures program effectiveness and modification of service pattern, which includes research and leadership of clinical teams. Serves as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT). Serves as a primary Chaplain resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials. Engages as a spiritual leader, a compassionate listener, and counselor, especially during times of crisis. Uses sound guidance and advice to lead prayer and religious services. Provides pastoral ministry to patients with respect to the patient's faith group. Serves as professional clinical Chaplain in specialty clinics. Engages in group consultative discussions or conferences with these professionals to provide Chaplain related input to collaborate on the evaluation and review of the patient's progress. Provides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters, including moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, justice or confinement matters, terminal diagnoses, or crises. Develops measurable, outcome-driven, and evidence-based pastoral care; and creates staff development and wellness programs. Provides appropriate education and training to other healthcare staff and trainees to screen for spiritual and religious needs and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress. Provides guidance and religious instruction to individuals and groups. Interacts and maintains cooperative relationships with Medical Center personnel, family, local clergy, individuals, and groups in the community. Engages community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff. Uses significant religious expression groups such as veteran choirs and such aids as devotional literature, films, and bedside broadcasts. Provides routine personal visits, special visits, and new patient interviews based on requests and referrals/consults. Conducts spiritual assessments to identify patients' strengths and needs. Provides crisis intervention and stabilization as required. . Communicates effectively, both in writing and verbally, with persons of varied backgrounds. Performs a variety of complex intervention methods, including individual and group interventions to address the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families. Independently may conduct psychosocial assessments and develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family member(s) and the interdisciplinary treatment team. Provides crisis intervention services, identifies the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. Facilitates moral injury groups or spirituality groups. Member of the Critical Incident Response team. Spends minimally 70% of time in patient care. Serves as a member of the Palliative Care Consult Team. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-Hoc eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 41784F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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: Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) (https://www.chea.org/) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) (https://www.ats.edu/) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree may meet this requirement with an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable such as the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) or a nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI Common Qualifications and Competencies for professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI. CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION (CPE): Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. https://acpe.edu/ ENDORSEMENT: Applicants must possess a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. A complete list of Ecclesiastical Organizations that the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes as Ecclesiastical Endorsing Organizations is available here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Ecclesiastical_Endorsement.asp (Note: Current VA Chaplains do not need to get updated endorsements after they are hired.) CERTIFICATION: Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain by the Board of Chaplaincy Certifications Inc. (BCCI) or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI. https://www.apchaplains.org/bcci-site/ Note: Current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chaplains who were employed in the position as of September 24, 2020 that were grandfathered are considered to have met the positive education, CPE, and certification requirements. 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). Grandfathering Provision.All chaplains employed in VHA, in this occupational series, performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply: (1) Chaplains who do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Chaplains appointed on a temporary basis