Health and Wellness Coach

Summary The Health and Wellness Coach is assigned to the Ambulatory Care Service (ACS), CARA Pain Management Team, or CARA PMT at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center. The incumbent is assigned to provide professional services to any/all program areas that are covered by ACS including acute care, long term care, and outpatient settings under the supervision of the Section Chief for the CARA Pain Team or a designee of the Section Chief. Learn more about this agency Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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 and/or Experience. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in behavioral or social science or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. Certification. Candidates must be currently certified by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Exception for Non-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification, may be given a temporary appointment as Health and Wellness Coach under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2). Non-certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Health and Wellness Coach at or above the full performance level or other designated occupation with the appropriate training and expertise. Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-certified Health and Wellness Coaches may not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment. Failure to Obtain Certification. Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR office staff, must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required 4 certification of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation, which may also result in separation from employment. 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 following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Health and Wellness Coach, GS-09 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of current research literature related to health and wellness, including behaviors that promote a healthy lifestyle and well-being. Skill in using health and wellness coaching techniques to promote positive behavior change using one-on-one, couple or group modalities. Skill in exercising effective interpersonal communication techniques to develop and maintain strong interpersonal relationships. Ability to assist the client in developing a comprehensive personalized health plan based on a patient's action-oriented goals. Ability to identify resources internal and external to the organization that are necessary for achieving patient overall health and well-being goals. Ability to use information technology (IT) equipment and various/emerging technologies to carry out work responsibilities. Ability to document patient information using appropriate systems. Preferred Experience: VHA Pain management experience VHA pain clinic experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Read more Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.