The Chaplain Service (CS) provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, patient's families, and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings and domiciliaries throughout the United States. The CS serves as a Chaplain professional performing clinical assignments for the VHA.
The CS provides 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.
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. Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Carries out a ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program.
Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders. Practices typically in a specialized clinic/program area, that may include intensive and extended pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program, with patients facing complex moral, ethical, or spiritual problems. Ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to Veterans and provides the highest quality of care.
Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs. Serves as a primary Chaplain resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services.
Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials. Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups.
Provides thorough spiritual leadership, offers prayers, and provides overall religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff, and community. Conducts rituals before groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills. Uses sound guidance and advice to lead prayer and religious services. Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff.
Provides effective counseling services to patients and staff. Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are 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 with respect to the patient's faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises. Builds strong interpersonal relationships with patients and ensures all patients are provided opportunities for the free exercise of religion. Ascertains Veterans are protected from proselytizing and coercing from any source.
Provides chaplain service expertise to exchange information relative to the background and current condition of patients. Supervises, trains, and coaches volunteer groups who offer their services as assistants. Provides expert guidance and advice to other VHA Chaplains as needed.
Serves as professional clinical Chaplain in specialty clinics such as lnpatient/Outpatient Mental Health, lnpatient/Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Clinics, Hospice, and Palliative Care, Grief and Bereavement Clinics, Women's Health Clinics, Cancer Treatment Centers, Spinal Cord/Polytrauma units, Pain clinics, Infectious Disease Clinics, Whole Health Clinics/Programs, etc.
Engages in group consultative discussions or conferences with these professionals to provide Chaplain related input to collaborate on the evaluation and review of the patient's progress. Collaborates with treatment team professionals to discuss the recommended course of action, and other informed advice to attain the necessary therapeutic goals for the patient.
Identifies other Chaplains, religious leaders, and/or persons from the community to provide patients' religious needs if necessary. Uses thorough knowledge of different faiths to perform various religious rituals, lead prayers, and answer spiritual questions. Provides guidance and support for patients to express values through processes such as life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation.
Maintains records and appropriately documents chaplaincy care services in the Electronic Health Record Management (EHRM) system/Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) through either service approved template or Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) note format.
Provides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters, including moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, justice or confinement matters, terminal diagnoses, or crises. Work Schedule: M-F 7am-3:30 Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 58396A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
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/.
V19USAJOBS@VA.GOV · 719-227-4600
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $89508 – $116362/yr.
Applications close on 2026-11-09.
This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-11-06 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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