This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. 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). ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: The Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Social Worker functions as a member of a multidisciplinary team, providing comprehensive, longitudinal, interdisciplinary, primary care in the homes of Veterans with serious medical, psychosocial, and behavioral conditions for whom routine clinic-based care is not effective or may not be possible. The team focuses on maximizing or maintaining Veteran function, minimizing institutionalization, and maintaining Veteran quality of life. The HBPC social worker independently assesses, develops, and implements treatment for individuals with complex chronic diseases that worsen over time. The HBPC social worker manages their case load and provides intensive case management and caregiver support. HBPC social workers collaborate with community partners and other professional agencies in care coordination and mobilization of tailored services for the Veteran or caregiver. These services are varied, flexing to address complex medical, psychosocial, mental health, rehabilitative, behavioral, and/or palliative care needs. The social worker is assigned to HBPC, a service within the Rehabilitation & Long-Term Care division. The social worker's physical location will be Bend, Salem, Vancouver, or Portland. Patient assignments are made by the HBPC team manager or HBPC leadership. The social worker provides social work services to Veterans in their homes and, when appropriate, using telephone or video technology. The employee operates a government vehicle in the performance of their duties, and, subsequently, must maintain medical clearance from the employee health department, have a valid state driver's license, and provide proof of insurability. The social worker uses knowledge and theories of mental health and aging to independently perform comprehensive initial and follow-up assessments to meet the psychosocial needs of the patient and their support systems. Assessments include physical limitations, psychological/psychiatric needs, cognitive deficits, social and environmental milieus, -based approach focused on the Veteran's goals. The social worker independently uses evidence-based screening tools and assessments. The social worker develops the psychosocial plan of care, following advanced assessment and screening, to improve the patient's ability to achieve optimal psychosocial functioning. The social worker includes the Veteran's goals of care in the plan of care. The patient-centered, plan of care may include individual and family counseling, long-term and advance care planning, non-pharmacological pain intervention, stress management, caregiver support, psycho-educational programming, and grief and bereavement counseling. The social worker partners with the interdisciplinary team to enhance the Veteran's psychosocial treatment plan, experience, and progress toward treatment goals. The social worker is independently responsible for crisis intervention and/or suicide prevention in home environments. The social worker functions without additional staff support or supervision in patient homes. The social worker performs rapid assessments and develops crisis management plans. Crises may include but are not limited to housing, finances, psychiatric relapse, suicidality, or violence. The social worker will assess for suicidality and self-harm, perform appropriate interventions, and create a safety plan for the Veteran. When responding to suicidality or a psychiatric emergency, the social worker will collaborate with first responders to ensure optimal home and prehospital care. The social worker will assist with admission to inpatient programs as needed. The HBPC social worker follows applicable protocols when responding to medical or psychological emergencies. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 07:30am-4:00pm or 08:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V20CompensationTeam@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more"]
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.
