Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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:

• -Citizenship Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• -English Language Proficiency Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• -Education Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited
• A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• -Licensure Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going tohttp://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• Exception VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-09 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - GS-09 -Experience - Education - and Licensure None beyond the basic requirements
• AND -Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socio economic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members - and to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the Veterans problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals
• This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive - problem solving - or crisis intervention techniques
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries
• common medications and their effects/side effects
• and medical terminology
• Social Worker - GS-11 -Experience and Licensure Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings - (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level
• OR -Education In addition to meeting basic requirements - a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting
• AND -Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified backgrounds
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e
• acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan
• Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and social problems to achieve treatment goals
• Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers - social work graduate students - and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment
• Preferred Experience: Familiarity with Suicide Prevention and Crisis Mental Health Care
• Experience in working with PTSD - Substance Use Disorders - Co-occurring mental health disorders
• Able to work within an interdisciplinary team (medical providers - psychiatrists - nursing staff - case managers)
• Specialty Training in Evidence Based Psychotherapies (EBP)
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: This position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework
• Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others
• Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain - corrective lenses are permitted) - keen hearing (aid permitted) - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Clinical Responsibilities Identifies problems/needs from the assessment to be treated and develops the individual treatment plan
• Assists Veterans and the treatment team in navigating problems in the residential milieu
• Oversees all case management as assigned for the duration of the Veteran's admission through post-discharge follow up
• Conducts therapeutic counseling in accordance with specific guidelines and handles crises - regularly with minimal supervision
• Develops and conducts lectures and educational presentations for patients related to various specialty aspects of general mental health - substance use disorder - post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - or Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
• Educate the veteran - their families - and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family on the preferred option
• Develop - organize - and implement a wide variety of outpatient aftercare treatment for patients and their collaterals
• Transport veterans to assist them in assessing resources or taking care of essential business
• In all cases the worker must know the patient and be comfortable in providing the needed transportation
• Government vehicle will be used as well as all processes - trainings - and requirements related to Government vehicle use
• Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs
• Administrative Responsibilities Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate/approved formats and templates
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees - volunteers - consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies
• Attend all appropriate staff meetings - team meetings - committee meetings - or group meetings and perform other duties as required
• Collaborate in the performance improvement process and comply with performance measures as required by the appropriate program offices and local policies
• Completes the continuing education hours needed for maintaining Professional Licensure
• Demonstrates professional behavior that conforms to VA regulations and policy - State and Federal laws - and ethical codes of appropriate professional accrediting organizations
• Participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed
• Enriching Elements Provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training - including trainees seeking licensure
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas - rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective clinical practice skills
• Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications
• Work Schedule: M-F
• 7:30AM-4:00PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Linda.Orchard@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: May be Authorized on Ad-hoc basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 51236A - 51237A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized