Summary

The incumbents' clinical duties are assigned to the Addiction Recovery Service (ARS) Team in the Mental Health Integrated Care Community (ICC) of the Minneapolis, Minnesota Veterans Affairs class 1A (High Complexity) Medical Center.

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:

• 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: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part
• Education Requirement: Master of Social Work: Must possess a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
• Note: 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
• COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED
• Licensure Requirement: Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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
• OR Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-9 None beyond the basic requirements
• 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
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above, the applicant's resume 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
• 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
• 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, the applicant's resume 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 Part II, Appendix G39 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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: 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: Patient Care: The incumbent provides/conducts psychosocial care to Veterans with active substance use problems, and many with co-occurring mental health and medical conditions, and complex psychosocial situations
• Psychosocial care includes brief interventions, individual and group psychotherapy, treatment coordination, crisis management, a family collaboration, and crisis intervention
• Conducts psychosocial and substance use assessments
• Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team
• Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measure outcomes to interventions
• Incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities
• Performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for substance use problems and other psychosocial needs
• Independently identifies high-risk patients, and coordinates planning as appropriate
• Incumbent provides case management services and is is able to coordinate community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, community agency programs
• Incumbent provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences, and serves as liaison to family members
• Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families
• Incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems utilizing individual, group and family counseling and therapy skills
• Incumbent provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan
• Ability to evaluate incumbents' own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means
• Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, HIPPA related activities
• General knowledge of veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, non-service-connected pension
• Facilitates referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility
• The incumbent may serve on committees, councils, workgroups, and/or task forces
• The incumbent obtains and/or participates in continuing education
• Able to meet the needs of customers while supporting VA missions
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner
• Incumbent is able to provide the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the consumer constructively and appropriately
• Has working knowledge and skill in the use of word-processing, data management and other computer systems, especially those programs in use by VHA
• Work Schedule: 08:00 to 16:30
• Monday through Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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) Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.