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Chaplain

Veterans Health Administration | Aspinwall, PA

Posted Date 4/29/2024
Description This position is located within the Chaplin Service line within the VA Pittsburgh Medical Center. The incumbent provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliaries. The position provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, patient's families and staff in various inpatient and out patient settings.The incumbent serves as a Chaplin professional performing clinical assignments for the medical center. They provide 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. The incumbent addresses the spiritual component of health and wellness in every patient care setting to ensure that pastoral care is fully integrated into all aspects of chaplain services. Major duties include but are not limited to:
  • Providing extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral and spiritual issues.
  • Ensuring program effectiveness and modification of service pattern, which includes research and leadership of clinical teams.
  • Serving as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
  • Advising and collaborating with other members of the IDT to provide comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans.
  • Leading various complex and sensitive projects, tasks groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials.
  • Provides thorough spiritual leadership, offers prayers, and provides overall religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff and community.
  • Addresses religious, spiritual, moral and ethical problems of patients and staff.
  • Serving as a professional clinical Chaplain in specialty clinics.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Yes
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00408A Chaplain
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not requiredApplicants 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.
    • Foreign Education. To be creditable, theological or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) listed at https://www.naces.org/members.
  • 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.

Grade Determinations: To qualify at the GS-12 level you must also meet both of the following grade level requirements.
  • Specialty Certification: You must have a Specialty Certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is be directly related to the position being filled. The list of Board Certifying Chaplain Organizations and Specialty Certifying Organization is located here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp
  • Experience: At least year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level that is directly related to the position to be filled such as independently serving as a primary resource for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff; providing advance care planning education, information and counsel or patients and their families, providing pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters, coordinating with community organizations and engaging community resources to meet religious needs of patients. Your experience must demonstrate that you meet the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
    • Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
    • Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
    • Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
    • Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
    • Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
    • Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
    • Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

Preferred Experience: Specialty Certification for Mental Health. Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification and is required for the GS-12 grade level. Specialty certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the assignment is qualifying for a senior chaplain assignment. The specialty for this position is Mental Health.

References: VA Handbook 5005/135, Chapter II, Appendix G67

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-12.

Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting or with the incumbent using an assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others.
Salary89,910.00 - 116,879.00 Annual

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