Summary

This position is eligible for EDRP - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the application. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for assistance.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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/
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 - candidates 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
• 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
• ** Preferred Experience: experience in an outpatient setting working with a variety of mental health disorders and substance use
• experience working with Veterans and/or active duty military.** References: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standards - GS-185 - Veterans Health Administration
• 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: Traveling throughout the medical center is required - as is performing activities involving sitting - walking - and standing - bending and carrying such items as books - papers - and files
• The incumbent lead must possess current driver's license.

Duties

• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Being a member of a Veteran's assigned Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary (BHIP) team
• Being an ongoing point of contact and clinical resource that promotes treatment engagement - especially during care transitions along the continuum of mental health specialty and subspecialty care
• Providing and/or ensuring the Veteran (and family/caregiver/supportive person as appropriate) has access to education - information - and resources for proactive self-management
• Completing a Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination needs assessment
• Developing an initial Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination interventions plan - including intended frequency of contact - as part of the overall care plan
• Providing Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination and documenting Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination efforts in the electronic health record (EHR)
• Monitoring Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination and treatment needs and adjusting Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination interventions plan - in collaboration with the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) clinical team members - as needed over time
• Supporting evaluation of Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) care coordination efforts to promote access - quality - Veteran and provider experience - and cost savings
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m
• to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• work schedule - but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized