Serves as a Clinical Social Worker within an interdisciplinary treatment team in Acute Mental Health. The majority of services are provided in the Emergency Dept (ED) and Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) with some outpatient and aftercare services provided as indicated. This position functions as float social worker within the Acute Mental Health Section of the Mental Health Service. Actual Location: 11201 Benton Street, Loma Linda, CA 92357 Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week. 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. Citizen of the United States. 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. Education. Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. Grade Determinations: GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above. 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. Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. GS-11 Experience/Education: Applicants must 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. 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. Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and 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-09 to GS-11. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: Pre-employment physical will be conducted in accordance with VA Handbook 5019.This position requires standing and walking frequently and may have prolonged standing. There are also times when the work requires siting for long periods of time. The incumbent may carry light items, such as books, files, or a laptop computer. Duties require ability to walk distances, communicate verbally in a clear manner, which includes normal hearing and manual dexterity. ["Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week. SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action - Federal Employees are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (dated 2024 or 2025) to determine your federal status. 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. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties: Screening/Evaluation/Assessment- When in the ED, the social worker will evaluate the Veteran to determine whether acute psychiatric hospitalization is indicated by assessing strengths, limitations, abilities, preferences, risk factors, internal/external supports and service needs. When in the APU, the social worker will develop a psychosocial assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting- When in the ED, the social worker will partner with ED Psych Provider to facilitate admission to APU as indicated. When in the ED, the social worker will provide appropriate resources, based on assessment and expressed needs, to Veterans being discharged home or transferred to another facility. On APU, throughout the course of treatment, the social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs. Resource Usage/Development -The social worker is responsible for maintaining and using a current social work resource file of VA and community services and programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of veterans. The social worker will refer the Veteran to needed services. Advocacy- Social worker understands the intricacies of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family. Crisis Intervention -Social worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. Social worker has access to multiple resources in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. Education/Health promotion and prevention -Social worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Wills, MH Treatment Preferences and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services -The social worker will review the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for mental health services. Counseling -Social worker will provide the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling, and individual, family and group psychotherapy throughout admission/ED visit. Administrative responsibilities - The social worker will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. All clinical interventions whether by telephone or face to face will be recorded in electronic progress notes. Float responsibilities- The social worker is the primary mental health float for programs within Acute Mental Health. Assignments will vary based on program area assigned. Functions could include screening, intakes, assessments, case management, discharge planning, group therapy, treatment planning, work with families, advocacy, crisis intervention, safety planning, and patient/family education. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, (Subject to change based upon the needs of the agency.) Compressed/Flexible: Not Approved Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: FS-0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vha.elrsprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more"]

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