Creative Arts Therapist (Art)

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Job Summary

This job is open to Duties Requirements How you will be evaluated Required documents How to apply

Job Summary

The Creative Arts therapist Art is responsible for developing, organizing, and administering Creative Arts Therapy programs to provide therapeutic treatment to patients in various areas. These areas include General medical and Surgical Chemical Dependency Center Acute Psychiatry Day Treatment Center and the Spinal Cord Injury Unit. Services are provided in both inpatient and outpatient settings within Memphis VAMC.

Help

Accepting applications Open & closing dates 02042026 to 09302026 Salary 61722 to - 97087 per year Pay scale & grade GS 9 - 11 Location 1 vacancy in the following location Memphis TN 1 vacancy Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Not required Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Excepted Promotion potential 11 Job family Series 0638 Recreation Creative Arts Therapist Supervisory status No Security clearance Not Required Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive NSLow Risk Trust determination process Credentialing Suitability Fitness Financial disclosure No Bargaining unit status No Announcement number CBTG-12878106-26-LF Control number 856565600

Duties

Creative Arts therapists Art perform a wide variety of interventions which contribute to the overall health of Veterans such as but not limited to:

• Evaluates establishes goals based on evaluation findings and develops treatment interventions.
• Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimum outcome.
• Uses Creative Arts Therapy expertise for direct service delivery to patient.
• Acts as a subject matter expert to staff, students, and other healthcare professionals.
• Serves as Creative Arts Recreation Therapy representative on interdisciplinary teams as assigned or needed.
• In consultation with patient, their families, and caregivers, Creative Arts therapists shall educate as required regarding treatment interventions and goals in addition to any consideration involving adaptation to better ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
• Completes other administrative duties as assigned, work orders, information processing, program development, for the PM&R Service or Medical Center.
• Professionally represents the Service and/or administration on behalf of the Medical Center during off-station events, committee meetings, contacts with outside agencies.
• Attends staff meetings as directed.
• Maintains timely and appropriate documentation of all consults, initial evaluations, progress notes, discharge notes, patient/family education, workload statistics, QA monitors patient attendance records, and other clinical activities.
• Follows appropriate billing and coding practices.
• Inputs scheduling data into computer systems or through approved charting methods and updates daily to reflect status of patients.
• This is to be done in concert and accordance with Medical Center policies on scheduling, consult management, and electronic wait list entry.
• Completes all employee/patient incident documentation in a timely manner as required by hospital or Service policy.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12311959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable forms of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents. Effective May 7, 2025, drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel HCP.

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. English Language Proficiency Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403. Education The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:

• Masters 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 masters 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
• Masters 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.

Certification

Must possess a full current and unrestricted registration with the ATR.

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

In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grades in which you are applying.

GS-9 Creative Arts Therapist Entry Level

Experience Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment

Employees at this level serve as a creative arts therapist art at the full performance level. They provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for complex patients only. They gather informal art-based assessment of patients needs, aptitudes, interests, and abilities. The therapist also develops and implements individualized art therapy treatment plans, including the scope, duration, and frequency of treatment. Treatment goals may include but are not limited to:

• Evaluates establishes goals based on evaluation findings and develops treatment interventions.
• Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimum outcome.
• Uses Creative Arts Therapy expertise for direct service delivery to patient.
• Acts as a subject matter expert to staff, students, and other healthcare professionals.
• Serves as Creative Arts Recreation Therapy representative on interdisciplinary teams as assigned or needed.
• In consultation with patient, their families, and caregivers, Creative Arts therapists shall educate as required regarding treatment interventions and goals in addition to any consideration involving adaptation to better ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
• Completes other administrative duties as assigned, work orders, information processing, program development, for the PM&R Service or Medical Center.
• Professionally represents the Service and/or administration on behalf of the Medical Center during off-station events, committee meetings, contacts with outside agencies.
• Attends staff meetings as directed.
• Maintains timely and appropriate documentation of all consults, initial evaluations, progress notes, discharge notes, patient/family education, workload statistics, QA monitors patient attendance records, and other clinical activities.
• Follows appropriate billing and coding practices.
• Inputs scheduling data into computer systems or through approved charting methods and updates daily to reflect status of patients.
• This is to be done in concert and accordance with Medical Center policies on scheduling, consult management, and electronic wait list entry.
• Completes all employee/patient incident documentation in a timely manner as required by hospital or Service policy.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

GS-11 Creative Arts Therapist Full Performance Level

Experience At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level, GS-9.

Examples

• Knowledge of their respective discipline and work with direct supervision and guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff.
• Established treatment procedures are substantially adapted and applied for patients who are acutely ill.
• Implements and modifies as necessary treatment plan and goals as needed throughout course of treatment to ensure optimum outcome.
• Maintains timely and appropriate documentation of all consults, initial evaluations, progress notes, discharge notes, patient/family education, workload statistics, QA monitors patient attendance records, and other clinical activities.

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