Job 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.

Job Description

All Chaplains must meet the following basic requirements: 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/ NOTE: Listing of currently accredited CPE Centers is available here: ACPE - AccreditedCPEDirectory. For centers which are no longer accredited but were accredited at the time candidate may submit an ACPE Transcript Request (acpe.edu) or contact ACPE to confirm their unit was from an accredited center (404) 320-1472. 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 have 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. GS-9 Entry-Level Only: Applicants pending board certification may be given a temporary appointment not to exceed two years as long as they meet the other eligibility requirements. 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. GS-9 Chaplain - To qualify at the GS-9 level, you must meet the basic requirements and must demonstrate that you have the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided. Ability to use the information of the spiritual assessment to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care. Ability to provide crisis intervention and stabilization. Skill in healthcare team collaboration to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual issues. Ability to ensure free exercise of religion for patients and staff. Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families, providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care. Skill in the coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds GS-11 Chaplain - To qualify at the GS-11 level you must meet the basic requirements plus at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level that is directly related to the position to be filled such as conducting spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs; creating plans for care in response to moral injuries and/or spiritual distress of patients; providing crisis intervention and stabilization; collaborating with healthcare teams, and using a variety of intervention methods (individual and group). Your experience must demonstrate that you meet the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families. Skill in guiding patients in verbalizing and expressing values through life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation. Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome-driven and evidenced based within the department guidelines. Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties and justice or confinement matters. Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support. Ability to educate and equip healthcare staff and trainees screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress. Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff. Note: Current VA Chaplains do not have to get updated endorsements after they are hired.