The Clinical Social Worker provides Mental Health services to the veteran population enrolled at James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center and CBOC's. Services include provision of high-quality case management, individual and group therapy, clinical treatment, crisis intervention, advocacy, coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies, as needed by the client. 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/. 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-9 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates 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). Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. 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 socioeconomic, 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-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 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. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 09 to 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 of this position include, but are not limited to: Screening/Assessment - The Social Worker will develop a psychosocial assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran and family members/significant others. The goal of the psychosocial assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veteran's functional status. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The Social Worker is responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran, family members/significant others and other Outpatient Mental Health clinical staff. Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment, the Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The Social Worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs. The Social Worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and family members/significant others of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. Resource Usage/Development - The Social Worker is responsible for using the current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. The Social Worker will refer the Veteran to needed services. Advocacy - The Social Worker understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. When appropriate and feasible, the Social Worker will educate and encourage the Veteran to advocate on his/her own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Crisis Intervention -The Social Worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. The Social Worker has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. Education/Health promotion and prevention - The Social Worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans and family members/significant others to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services -The Social Worker will review the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran. The Social Worker will educate the Veteran, their family members/significant other and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the Veteran and family members/significant other on the preferred option. Supportive counseling -The Social Worker may provide Veterans and their family members/significant other with ongoing supportive counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with severe mental illness (es), chronic/disabling illness (es), onset of a catastrophic illness, etc. This role may be performed through the use of telehealth technologies such as telephone, messaging device, global media carts or video conferencing equipment. Therapy - The Social Worker may provide individual and group evidence-based therapies (i.e. CPT, PE, etc.) to Veterans based on clinic and patient need. This role may be performed through the use of telehealth technologies such as telephone messaging devices, webcams, global media carts or video conferencing equipment. Supervision - Depending on level of licensure, the Social Worker may provide clinical supervision for social work trainees. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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.
