Chaplain

Job Details

Position Overview

Duties

• Provides appropriate education and training to other healthcare staff to screen for spiritual and religious needs and the importance of appropriate referrals.
• Collaborates with treatment team professionals to discuss the recommended course of action and advise to attain the necessary therapeutic goals for the patient.
• Addresses fears and answer questions regarding the meaning of life when confronted with the reality of pain, illness, permanent disfigurement, crippling, or death.
• Provides advice to mental health patients with deeply troubling concerns of anxiety, depression, obsession, and fear.
• Addresses religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff under the direct supervision and guidance of a higher-grade chaplain for complex non-routine issues.
• Provides counseling services to patients and staff and conducts regular rounds of hospital wards containing the critically ill.
• Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned veteran patients.
• Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families.
• Provides pastoral ministry to patients of his/her faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises.
• Ensures all patients are provided opportunities for the free exercise of religion and that Veterans are protected from proselytizing and coercion from any source.

Qualifications & 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: Applicants must possess a 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) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains (see paragraph f) is acceptable.
• 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.
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement: In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here:https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/EmpJoyment Information and_Resources.asp
• Board Certification: Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification 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 ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying.
  • Exception for NON-Board Certified Chaplains:
    • Non-Board-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, may be given a temporary appointment as a Chaplain under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) not to exceed 2 years.
    • Non-Board-Certified Chaplains must provide proof of completion of 4 units of CPE as required by an approved board certifying body.
    • Non-Board-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Chaplain at or above the FPL.
    • Non-Board-Certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-board-certified Chaplains may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.
• English Language Proficiency: Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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).

• 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.

• Specialty Certification in Mental Health or Suicide Prevention

Education

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• 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 form(s) 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, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Evaluations

Required Documents

• Resume (when listing previous employment please include month and year).
• Educational Transcript(s) of Master of Divinity Degree or equivalent education qualification. Transcript should include college attended, degree obtained, and confer date.
• Board Certification
• For Current Federal employees, your most recent SF-50 that shows title, series, and grade.
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement
• Four units of CPE

How to Apply

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

Areas of Consideration - Applicants will be considered based on the following areas of consideration.

• First Area of Consideration (Facility Employees) - Current, permanent VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System employees (this includes Outpatient Clinics, permanent employees of the Veteran Canteen Service assigned to this facility, Office of Information & Technology employees assigned to this facility.

• Second Area of Consideration (Other VA Employees) - Current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees (VA employees who are located at other VA medical centers).

• Third Area of Consideration - Current, permanent employees of other Federal agencies.

• Fourth Area of Consideration - United States Citizens