Social Worker

Duties

Summary

The incumbent functions in an active role as a member of the Mental Health Rehabilitation multidisciplinary treatment team and performs a wide variety of treatment and administrative tasks.

Responsibilities

Clinical & Case Management Responsibilities-

Screening/Assessment: The SW is responsible for the in-depth psychosocial assessment as part of the overall assessment of the patient. Identifies problems/needs form the assessment to be treated and develops the individual treatment plan. Is responsible for providing individual professional input and addressing the social aspect of the patient's situation.Counseling: Conducts therapeutic counseling in accordance with specific guidelines and handles crises at an advanced clinical counseling practice level, regularly without supervision. Serves as therapist/counselor with individuals and in group therapy sessions. Observes and documents behavior and reaction patterns of patients to be utilized by other staff professionals and/or the multidisciplinary treatment team, and final disposition for follow-up.Outpatient/Aftercare: The incumbent is responsible for independently developing, organizing, and implementing a wide variety of outpatient aftercare treatment for patients and their collateral's. The incumbent is independently responsible for developing and implement methods to motivate veterans to

attend aftercare and/or participate in the outpatient program. Aftercare planning is coordinated with the multidisciplinary treatment team to provide continuity in the transition from residential treatment to the outpatient component (including CBOC).

Consultations: The incumbent provides consultations to physicians and other professionals with the Healthcare System to assess the patient's appropriateness for admission into the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation component of treatment.Referral to Service Providers: Throughout the course of treatment the SW is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The SW will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs. The SW is responsible for educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker.Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services: The SW 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. SW will educate the veteran, their families, and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family on the preferred option.

• The SW enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information must be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. This information is to be reviewed on a regular basis.
• The SW establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attendance of all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, MHRRTP staff meetings, departmental/section staff meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) is necessary. Additional duties may be required to be performed, as needed.
• The SW will collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VHA for Mental Health Service. This work will include referring cases for Protected Peer Review and Intensive Case Review. The Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor will participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed.
• SW Counselor will attend all meetings (weekly interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, MHRRTP staff meetings, assigned committees, etc.) and perform other duties as required by Mental Health Service Line. This may include coverage responsibilities in the absence of other MHRRTP staff to ensure timely access and coordination of care.
• The incumbent completes the continuing education hours need for maintaining Professional Licensure. The incumbent demonstrates professional behavior that conforms to VA regulations and policy, State and Federal laws, and ethical codes of appropriate professional mental health accrediting organizations.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

11

• Job family (Series)

  0185 Social Work

  Similar jobs

  • Community Mental Health Social Workers

  • Family Social Workers

  • Mental Health Social Workers

  • Psychiatric Social Workers

  • School Social Workers

  • Social Workers

• Requirements

  Requirements

  Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to a background/security investigation
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

  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/. 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.]

  • English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English

  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).
  Preferred Experience: Independently licensed.
  Grade Determinations:
  Social Worker, GS-9

  (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements

  (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.(b) 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.(c) 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.(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.(e) 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

  (1) 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.

  (2) 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.(3) 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.

  References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39

  The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 09 to 11.

  Physical Requirements: Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses permitted), keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

  Education

  IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

  Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

  Additional information

  Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

  This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

  It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

  This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

  VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

  Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

  If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

  How You Will Be Evaluated

  You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

  IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

  Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

  Background checks and security clearance

  Security clearance

  Other

  Drug test required

  No

  Position sensitivity and risk

  Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

  Trust determination process

  Credentialing, Suitability/Fitness

• Required Documents

  Required Documents

  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume

  VA Form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations can be found at: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-2850c-fill.pdf.

  The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

  • Cover Letter

  • DD-214/ Statement of Service

  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)

  • Disability Letter (VA)

  • License

  • VA-10-2850c

  • Other (2)

  • Other (3)

  • Performance Appraisal

  • Professional Certification

  • Proof of Marriage Status

  • Resume

  • Separation Notice (RIF)

  • SF-15

  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

  • Transcript

  Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• Benefits

  Benefits

  A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

  Review our benefits

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Help

This job is open to

• The public

  U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.