Social Worker- Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Outreach
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Application
Details
Posted: 30-Aug-24
Location: White City, Oregon, Oregon
Salary: Open
Categories:
Mental Health/Social Services
Internal Number: 802002600
The basic responsibility of this position is to identify and engage homeless Veterans and provide them with direct services and/or develop and connect homeless Veterans to the services and resources that will enable them to secure safe, affordable, quality permanent housing. Delivery of these services requires specialized knowledge and skills and extensive experience in resource identification and access with VA medical, mental health, substance abuse, and other specialty clinical providers. 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. 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 to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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 for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-9: (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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 (1) 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-9 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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: Prior experience working with the Homeless population or other stigmatized populations is preferred. References: PART II APPENDIX G39 EFFECTIVE DATE: September 10, 2019 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-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Functions: The social worker independently performs outreach and facilitates eligibility determination by securing military discharge papers when necessary and facilitating enrollment for care with VA eligibility staff and determining HCHV eligibility in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 2002(1) and The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended by S. 896 The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. The social worker provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as presenting complaint, engaging family and other support systems as appropriate. The social worker has functional knowledge and experience in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses and /injuries, common medications and their effects, side effects, and medical terminology. The Social Worker will fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans, colleagues and VA in accordance with relevant discipline Code of Ethics, VHA Code of Ethics, and local Ethics policies, which includes but is not limited to compliance with all laws and regulations related to confidentiality and release of information and protecting Veterans' personal identifying information. Documents in the patient's medical record in accordance with medical center policies and the requirements of the Joint Commission (JC), Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilitates (CARF), and other regulatory bodies. This includes biopsychosocial assessment, risk/suicide assessment and development of a recovery plan with Veteran's input and participation. Documentation is completed in the electronic medical record within the time frame required by professional service standards and facility policies. Progress notes are timely and reflect progress toward treatment goals. Outcomes are evaluated and documented. The incumbent will operate such vehicles as sedans, station wagons, 4x4 utility, pick-up trucks and stake bed trucks weighing less than 22,000 pounds. Incumbent will drive Veterans to and from such places as clinically indicated, such as hospitals, doctor's offices, meetings and activities relevant to Veteran's Treatment Plan. May need to assist Veterans requiring special help into and out of vehicles and ensuring their safety and comfort while in the vehicle. Performs other related duties as assigned. 3. Knowledge and Skills Required by the Position - Providing outreach services at the full extent of their relevant clinical privileges, credentials, scope of practice, elements of practice, certification, functional statement, position description, or other VHA or local facility approved documentation of competency. - Participating in team performance improvement and sustainment activities to optimize team efficiency and outreach services for Veterans. - Communicating with all team members (including Veterans and caregivers) to convey clinically relevant information for the care of the Veteran. - Performing community-based outreach activities to engage homeless Veterans. - Enrolling and providing case management services as clinically indicated, with a special emphasis on serving those who are the most vulnerable, as directed by the VA medical facility Homeless Program Coordinator. - Collaborating with VA medical facility Health Eligibility Center (HEC) Enrollment and Eligibility staff to initiate verification of Veterans' eligibility and in assisting Veterans in completing eligibility procedures. - Assisting and/or referring Veterans in applying for discharge upgrades and benefits claims. - Arranging for provision of care through VA or community resources in cases in which the Veteran is at risk and eligibility is not yet determined by VA medical facility Enrollment and Eligibility Staff or the Veteran is only eligible for limited services based on discharge status that is other than honorable. - Educating Veterans about available homeless and VA resources, providing referrals for requested services, and ensuring linkages to programs serving special populations (e.g., VA medical facility Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management Team, Suicide Prevention Coordinators, Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program Coordinators, and Women Veterans Program Managers). Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630 Telework: Available, Ad-Hock pending Supervisor approval Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V20CompensationTeam@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.