The incumbent is a Clinical Social Worker assigned to the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System Medicine/Surgery Units located in Gainesville, FL or Lake City. Applicants can pick their choice of location in application. The Clinical Social Worker's responsibilities include the assessment of mental health and psychosocial problems, often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis. Applicants must meet the requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 01/02/2025 Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Must be US Citizen. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency Requirement: Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. 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. 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 dependently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-11 Social Worker candidates must have the following: 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. While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, (KSA's), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training. Otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. The GS-11 KSA's for this position are: 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: Preferred experience in a health and/or mental health clinical setting for the last 3 years. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G-39, Qualification Standard for the appointment of Social Workers, GS-0185, in VHA. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work requires extreme patience and controlling of emotions. Day-to-day work involves sitting, walking, standing, and carrying light objects. Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the Clinical Social Worker to communicable diseases common to the hospital setting. Able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity. Must be able to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens. The job entails walking, standing, bending, pushing, traveling among several different stories/floors, sitting, working on a computer, carrying objects up to 15 pounds. ["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 Clinical work of this position includes the provision of discharge planning, crisis intervention, short-term solution-focused or problem solving focused evidence based interventions with Veterans and/or their family members/significant others/caregivers on the acute care medicine, surgery, neurology and intensive care inpatient units. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Conducts psychosocial assessments, establishes treatment and discharge plans, to include goals and executes treatment and discharge plans. Evaluates outcomes of interventions. Works with a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Will assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members to formulate and implement a treatment/discharge plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture. Works with patients and families who are experiencing emotional, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group, and family counseling skills. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients, staff, and representatives of local community agencies. Collaborates with other service providers in assessing/reassessing the Veteran's needs during inpatient stay and makes appropriate warm hand off referral to the Veteran's assigned PACT, Specialty Clinic and/or other appropriate clinical social worker for follow up post discharge. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures to include acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology for the purpose of ensuring a comprehensive assessment of biopsychosocial barriers to health and well-being. Documents social work interventions and activities timely and as directed by standard operating procedures in the patient's electronic medical record and ensures appropriate warm hand off when transferring the patient's care to another service/clinical setting. Working knowledge and skill in the use of word processing, data management, electronic health record, MS Office and other computer software. Knowledge of veteran's benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, non-service connected pension. The social worker facilitates referrals based upon veteran's needs and eligibility. The social worker may serve on committees, councils, workgroups, and/or task forces. The social worker serves as liaison to community agencies and networks with agency representatives as related to assigned job duties for facilitating continued patient care in another setting. Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Preferred Experience: Experience in a clinical/health/mental health setting, providing case management and treatment/discharge planning. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30am-4:0pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Clinical Social Worker, Inpatient Acute Medicine-Surgery, FS #50010F Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Additional Benefits: Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA. 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)"]
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.
