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. John J. Pershing is committed to Diversity and Inclusion. Together, we strive to create and maintain a working and learning environment that promotes professional growth and teamwork. We offer an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment where we celebrate our individual differences and unite as a team toward a common goal of providing outstanding service to our Nation's Veterans. 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. 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. (a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. 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 (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. 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: Minimum 1 year of experience working with high-risk individuals is preferred. Reference: VA Handbook 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39, SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185 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-9 to GS-11 Physical Requirements: This position is mostly sedentary and requires walking, kneeling, bending, standing, and light lifting. ["The Clinical Social Worker provides mental health services to Veterans enrolled at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The incumbent will be assigned to the Suicide Prevention Program, as the Suicide Prevention Case Manager (SPCM). As the SPCM the incumbent will be responsible for case management and clinical intervention of Veterans who are identified as high-risk for suicide or suicide related behaviors. As the SPCM the incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of at-risk Veterans as they transition from inpatient to outpatient care. Case management responsibilities also include providing supportive services to families. In addition, the incumbent assists at-risk Veterans in coping with acute illness, chronic illness, combat stress, the residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), community adjustment, addictions and other health and mental health problems. As the SPCM, the incumbent will independently provide clinical psychosocial and case management services at an advanced practice level to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychosocial and environmental needs. The incumbent will be required to interact not only with the patient but also with family, significant others, community agencies and other staff of various disciplines. Individuals assigned as GS-11 social workers are considered to be at the full performance level. A GS-11 social worker has a Master's Degree in Social Work granted by a graduate program fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veteran referred into the Mental Health Behavioral Sciences Care Line. The incumbent completes (or reviews a completed) psychosocial assessment as part of the consult process when the Veteran is initially referred to the Mental Health Behavioral Sciences Clinic. 1. Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the Mental Health Behavioral Sciences Service and/or their families. The incumbent is able to work independently with Veterans and their families experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral and psychosocial problems. The incumbent must be available to provide consultation to treatment teams and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families, as well as the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning, treatment, and discharge planning. 2. Must be able to independently complete a thorough psychosocial assessment to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence possible and practicable. The incumbent must be experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. 3. Must participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a Veteran centered treatment plan and/or discharge plan. 4. Must serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. This involves coordination of Veteran and family involvement in the development of treatment plans. The incumbent must provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and advance directives. This requires the incumbent to have knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services, as well as additional services within the VA and other government agencies. 5. Must possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services and psychoeducation to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the lifespan and will be able to assist the Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experienced from disability and terminal illness. 6. Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Adhoc Telework Only as Needed. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: NOT Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN15EDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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