Blind Rehabilitation Specialist; VIST Coordinator

The primary purpose of the position is to manage and provide direct blind and vision rehabilitation training services to visually impaired Veterans and Service Members. The Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Coordinator functions independently in a number of settings. The work environment may be in an outpatient setting, inpatient setting, virtual setting and in a home environment, as deemed appropriate for clinical care.

Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

The individual must have earned:

• 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 education, or technology and industrial arts education.

OR,

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (without a major field of study as outlined above) that included, or was supplemented by, at least one of the following:

Required at the GS-11 grade level and above.

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.

who provide the following service must obtain certification granted by ACVREP as follows:

• (1) Orientation and mobility training
  - Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS®).
• (2) Communication and daily living therapy
  - Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT®).
• (3) Low vision therapy
  - Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVT®).
• (4) Assistive Technology
  - Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists (CATIS®).

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements listed above, you must meet the following requirements below:

Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate case-management responsibilities supporting individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Experience includes managing an active caseload; completing assessments; developing individualized rehabilitation or adjustment plans; coordinating services; and documenting progress and outcomes. It also includes applying broad knowledge of medical conditions related to vision loss;

educating individuals and their families on available rehabilitation services and resources; providing guidance on compensation and benefit options; delivering readjustment counseling to support psychosocial adjustment; and collaborating with interdisciplinary staff to ensure timely and effective service delivery.

AND,

In addition to the Experience above, the candidate must demonstrated the following Knowledge,

Skills and Abilities

(KSAs):

In addition to meeting the KSAs at the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate all [of] the following KSAs: