Summary

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.

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
• 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
• 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 independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• Grandfathering Provision: 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)
• (1) All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply
• (2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• (5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protection
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-12 Senior Social Worker: Education/Experience
• The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice
• Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty
• Licensure/Certification
• Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination - unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California - which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• Preferred Experience: Must function at a highly independent and advance practice level while performing same day access (SDA) while covering
• Will also participate in an On Call rotation for ED Mental Health coverage
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• This position is a GS-12 - which is above the full performance level
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Duties

• 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 Major Duties and Responsibilities: Screening/Assessment - The Social Worker will assess Veterans that present in the ED and identify viable treatment options - assess high risk factors - acuity and need for services
• In addition - the Social Worker will rapidly assess Veterans presenting with acute psychiatric emergencies and develop crisis management plans in conjunction with the ED physician and treatment team for admission to inpatient mental health programs and Tele Emergency Care Suicide assessments
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The Social Worker performs a thorough assessment of Veterans presenting to the ED with a psychiatric emergency to form a treatment plan that focuses on urgent and emergent needs and treatment goals
• Participates in the development of the treatment and/or admission plan with special emphasis on psychosocial and psychological elements and interventions
• Specialized Case Management and Care Coordination - The Social Worker provides intensive and comprehensive psychosocial case management and care coordination for episodes of emergency care
• The incumbent provides specialized clinical case management centered on disease and/or diagnosis-specific education - treatment - care - symptom management - and self-care
• The incumbent also serves as the subject matter expert on VA and community resources related to the needs of the Veteran - family - and/or caregiver
• Discharge Planning - The Social Worker will facilitate discharge planning for ED patients that do not require an acute hospital admission
• The incumbent coordinates appropriate after-care and need for follow up services following a Veteran's ED treatment
• The Social Worker coordinates care with interdisciplinary team members - the Veteran - and caregivers to proactively address discharge
• The incumbent assist with coordination of supportive and ancillary services with the Veteran - caregiver(s) - and referring and receiving facility staff
• Advocacy - Social Worker understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/Family
• When appropriate and feasible - Social Worker will educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate on own behalf - thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment
• Education/Health Promotion and Prevention - Provides consultation and guidance to colleagues - role model effective Social Work practice skills - teach or provide orientation to less experienced Social Workers - develop innovations in practice interventions - and provide clinical supervision for Social Work licensure
• The incumbent provides education related to VA and community resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs
• Administrative responsibilities: Will participate and collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by VA staff for the specific department
• Social Worker will participate in activities that obtain feedback from Veterans and staff to enhance needed services
• When assigned - will teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area of practice and provide clinical supervision for licensure
• Work Schedule: Shift work - 8hrs each - Morning - Mid-Day - Evenings - may include weekends and/or holidays Compressed/Flexible: May be available based upon facility needs Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact David Billingsley Jr. - at david.billingsleyjr@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 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) 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 54023-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized