Summary

VA Portland Health Care System is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings. VAPORHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Portland, Oregon, outpatient and residential facilities in Vancouver, Washington, and 10 Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

Qualifications

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: Master's degree in social work (MSW) from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), or other master's in science in social work (MSSW), social service administration (MSSA), social service (MSS), social administration (MSA) or social welfare as accredited by the CSWE
• You MUST have earned your degree by the time the job announcement closes
• Those without the required master's degree will be disqualified
• (If you are a VA intern graduating in the next 2 months, you may be eligible, pending credentialing and graduation with required Master's degree.) Licensure: 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 up to the GS-9 level
• For those hired without a license, they will be required to obtain licensure within three (3) years of appointment
• GS-11: Must have a license to independently practice social work and have 1 year post-MSW experience in the field of health care social work, OR possess a doctoral degree in social work that may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting Grade Determinations: GS-9 Requirements: This is the entry level for social workers and is used for social workers with less than 1 year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level.GS-11 Requirements: This is the full performance level for social workers
• GS-11 Social Workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work
• They are assigned to all program areas, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics
• Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area
• 1
• Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services
• 2
• Ability to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and assistance needed, in collaboration with the patient, family and interdisciplinary treatment team
• 3
• Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds
• This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) and the differential influences of the environment, society and culture
• 4
• Knowledge and experience in the use 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
• 5
• Knowledge of psychosocial treatment and ability to independently implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals
• This requires independent judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving or crisis intervention techniques
• 6
• Ability to independently provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups and families
• Social workers must practice within the bounds of their license or certification
• For example, some states may require social workers providing psychotherapy to have a clinical level of licensure
• 7
• Ability to provide consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment
• Ability to provide orientation and coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students
• Ability to serve as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements
• 8
• Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means
• 9
• Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, especially those programs in use by VHA
• References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39The 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
• Please Note: If you are not yet independently licensed, you will not be boarded at or promoted to grade 11
• Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs)
• use of fingers, both hands required
• walking &
• standing (1 hour)
• both hands required
• Operation of motor vehicle
• ability for rapid mental &
• muscular coordination simultaneously
• ability to distinguish basic colors
• hearing (aid permitted)
• Environmental factors include exposure to: excessive heat/cold, dust/fumes, working alone &
• with others, working around moving vehicles, overhead light, ambient noise, smells from being in close proximity with others (including soap, shampoo, perfume, food and/or lingering tobacco smoke from smokers).

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: - Completing psychosocial evaluation and assessment and periodic reassessments of each patient served, which identify psychological, social, and vocational needs and the appropriate treatment and services to be provided
• - Developing and implementing realistic and achievable social work treatment plans, as part of the interdisciplinary treatment plans, that reflect an ability to effectively utilize a broad range of treatment modalities
• - Providing individual, family, and group counseling aimed at helping the Veteran and family find practical solutions to complex problems
• - Advocating on behalf of the Veteran to ensure that services and benefits are obtained in a timely manner and in keeping with the VA's goal for excellence in customer service
• - Demonstrating knowledge of major medical, mental health, and poly-substance abuse diagnoses and their impact on individual functional status
• - Demonstrating knowledge of medical terminology and medications including medical condition for which prescribed and side effects
• - Developing discharge plans based on patient assessment, medical condition(s), and knowledge of needed and available follow-up services
• - Demonstrating knowledge of eligibility requirements in order to access VHA and VBA services and benefits
• - Demonstrating knowledge of non-VA services and benefits with ability to access them for continuity of medical and mental health care
• - Demonstrating knowledge of VA and community resources for assistance with identified non­medical needs such as housing, disability income, legal assistance, etc
• - Demonstrating knowledge and skill in patient advocacy
• - Working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary treatment teams to meet the psychosocial needs and medical and mental health needs of patients
• - Demonstrating skill and ability in establishing therapeutic rapport with patients and their significant others
• - Demonstrating ability to work effectively with other health care disciplines, business associates, community resources, Veterans organizations, etc
• in pursuit of patient care needs
• - Knowledge of RAI/MDS system and ability to independently complete assigned duties within established timeframes
• - Demonstrating ability to provide education to patients and families regarding changing patient care needs, resources, and how best to access needed resources
• - Demonstrating knowledge of Advance Directives and ability to assist patient and families in their completion
• - Demonstrating knowledge and skills in provision of supportive counseling services such as Living with Chronic Illness, Relapse Prevention, Bereavement Support, End-of-Life decision-making, and coping with catastrophic illness/injury
• - Demonstrating ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships fellow employees, volunteers, consumers, and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies
• - Attending and participating in all required meetings at the CLC
• - Demonstrating knowledge and skills in the appropriate and timely completion of all relevant VHA documentation, entries into Medical Records, per VHA and accrediting organizations policies and procedures
• - Demonstrating sensitivity to the special needs of all patients in respect to gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, cultural, ethnic background, and age
• - Demonstrating specialized knowledge and skills for age specific care that is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, cultural, and chronological maturation needs of the diverse Veteran patient population utilizing principles of growth and development
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 07:30am-4:00pm or 08:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized