Summary

This position is located in Social Work Service - Boise VA Medical Center - Boise - ID. The Post 9/11-Outpatient PTSD Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments and treatment to veterans needing interventions related to Post 9/11 Transition Issues and PTSD including case management - individual - couples - family and group psychotherapy. The incumbent serves as a member of the Behavioral Health Program.

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:

• a
• 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)
• b
• 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
• c
• 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/
• d
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services
• e
• 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 nonVA 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: LCSW Preferred - experienced in providing trauma treatment and case management
• 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 9 to GS 11.

Duties

• Duties: (1) Must have a level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or families
• The incumbent is able to independently work with veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical - psychiatric - emotional - behavioral and psychosocial problems
• (2) Must independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments and/or screening to determine the psychological functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families
• The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment and/or screening in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable
• (3) Must possess a working knowledge and experience in the use of mental health and PTSD diagnosis as well as the issues related to transitioning from active military to discharge status including readjustment issues
• (4) Must actively participate as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as inter disciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a treatment plan
• (5) Must facilitate discharge planning through collaboration with veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner
• (6) Must serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services
• (7) Must possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - provide counseling - supportive groups and or case management for Veterans and families
• (8) Must provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources - VA benefits - specialty programs and available health services
• This includes the incumbents' knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community programs
• (9) Must be available to provide consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs as well as transitional and/or readjustment needs of Veterans and/or families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veterans health care planning - case management - compliance with treatment and discharge planning
• (10) Must provide emergency/crisis intervention services to outpatients experiencing acute psychological crisis - help to stabilize these individuals - assisting in arrangements for transfer to a psychiatric facility for inpatient care if necessary and providing follow up care as needed
• (11) Must possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care
• The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principals of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness
• (12) Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: GS-185-11 - Social Worker Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized