Location: Columbia, South Carolina, South Carolina
Categories:
Mental Health/Social Services
Internal Number: 824789200
The Clinical Social Worker is a critical position in the Columbia VAMC Housing and Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD/VASH) Program and is under the supervision of the Supervisory Social Worker for the HUD/VASH Program/Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH Program. The HUD/VASH Program is a collaborative effort, supported through HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA's Provision of intensive case management services by acuity level. 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. English Language Proficiency: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 740. Education and/or Experience Combination. 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 master's degree of Social Work. License or Certification: 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. 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-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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: Homeless experience; Case management experience. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. ["Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Major Duties include, but are not limited to: The incumbent serves as one of the Medical Center's primary point of contact for the National HUD/VASH Program, Office of Mental Health Services and VACO. The incumbent ensures that the program is run in accordance with the National HUD/VASH Program, Office of Mental Health Services and VACO directives and helps develop policies and procedures to govern the program at the Columbia VAMC. The incumbent is responsible for data collection, record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements. The incumbent establishes, implements, and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD/VASH Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs. The incumbent develops and serves as the team member for the screening procedures to involve a multidisciplinary team approach and is responsible to ensure criteria and procedures are maintained. The incumbent provides primary input for program participant selection based on structured interviews and clinical assessments. The incumbent is responsible for coordination of emergent and temporary housing opportunities and services under the guidance of the Supervisory Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH. The incumbent ensures that these components are commensurate with the goals and objectives of the HUD/VASH program and its recovery model of care. The incumbent is required to reassess in an ongoing manner the changing and evolving needs of the Veteran population. The incumbent will interface with the HUD-VASH staff and the Supervisory Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH Programs on a regular basis related to matters of services delivery, program development, and job definition. The incumbent as a clinical Social Worker/Case Manager is responsible for the ongoing process of review, development, treatment planning and interventions with veterans as assigned. The incumbent regularly conducts and participates in outreach activities, including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and \"on the streets,\" as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. The incumbent provides referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. The incumbent is expected to maintain ongoing professional development to assure clinical knowledge and skill levels pertinent to the adequate performance of their duties and quality assurance. The incumbent will assume other general social work responsibilities and duties in the HUD/VASH Program as assigned by the HUD/VASH Supervisory Social Worker, HCHV Program Manager and/or designee. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) 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) EDRP: Former participants are ineligible to apply for the EDRP incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions or assistance. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 56342F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized"]
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.