Summary

The social worker provides social work and case management services for Veterans with mental health diagnoses as an integral part of the outpatient Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) Behavioral Health interdisciplinary team. The incumbent will conduct psychosocial assessments - provide crisis intervention - and evidence-based psychotherapy (e.g. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - etc.).

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:

• 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)
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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
• 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
• 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 at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• 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 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate 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
• Social Worker - 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 - candidates 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 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
• Physical Requirements: Physical qualifications require the ability to sit frequently and for long periods of time
• Must be able to spend long periods of time on a computer
• This position may require travel.

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 Provision of Social Work Services Incumbent independently conducts assessments - evaluating the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their families to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying needs - strengths - and coping skills in collaboration with the patient and family as appropriate
• Incumbent will provide triage assessment - crisis intervention - brief counseling - and evidence based individual and group psychotherapy for Veterans with a broad spectrum of diagnoses - including depressive disorders - anxiety disorders - trauma related conditions - substance abuse conditions - and personality disorders
• Incumbent will provide same day access for Veterans seeking to initiate care and will also provide assertive community outreach for Suicide Prevention
• Incumbent sets clinical care goals in collaboration with the patient - monitors progress toward goals - and works to achieve outcomes - including reduced hospitalizations
• The incumbent will serve collaboratively on a CBOC Behavioral Health team and assist with consult management
• Incumbent has knowledge and experience in use of medical and behavioral health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology
• Incumbent has knowledge of community and VA resources and makes appropriate referrals to programs to best meet Veterans' needs and coordinate Veterans' care
• Incumbent participates in performance improvement activities and tracks and trends issues as part of performance improvement plan
• Enriching Elements Incumbent provides education and consultation to staff - students - patients - and families regarding programs and serves as a point of contact for the community for these programs
• Incumbent remains current on VA policies and procedures relevant to program areas
• Incumbent works with team to meet goals and performance measures within program
• Incumbent may provide training opportunities to various disciplines
• Incumbent may participate in the training of Social Work Students
• Other Significant Responsibilities Incumbent will attend appropriate team meetings (CBOC Behavioral Health huddles and meetings - Behavioral Health/Recovery Services - social work - etc.) and work closely with patients' providers and other team members to effectively coordinate care
• Incumbent establishes collaborative relationships with behavioral health providers particularly - as well as other team members and staff outside the department to coordinate patients' care more effectively
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm
• 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: The position may be eligible for Ad-Hoc
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92850-O/92586-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized