National War College Alumni Association

The Ann Arbor VA Medical Center is seeking a high qualified Social Worker that functions as an Eligibility Specialist for the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program. The Eligibility Specialist is responsible for providing outreach, assessment, referral and enrollment services to the homeless Veteran population in the community. Incumbent performs housing search strategies based on Veterans' preference and psychosocial assessments to homeless Veterans and act as a centralized liaison. 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. 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. 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). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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: 1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 5. 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: 1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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: At least one year conducting assessment of patients needs in a health care setting. Experience in working with a multidisciplinary treatment team (at least 1 year). At least one year experience in electronic medical record documentation of health and behavioral issues. At least one year experience in working with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, PTSD. Experience in EBP's (evidenced based psychotherapies). References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185 dated 09/10/2019.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. Physical Requirements: The work of the social worker is community based with moderate physical activity. The incumbent must be able to operate a government vehicle several hours each day, walk up to a mile at a time, climb 2 to 3 flights of stairs at a time, and lift small objects . The incumbent must be capable of using a computer given all clinical charting is electronic. ["The proportion of these duties will be determined by the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Outreach Supervisor Mental Health Service Chief(and/or his/her delegates) and are expected to be flexible based upon clinical need. Conducts psychosocial assessments including assessing functioning and needs of Veterans to formulate and implement a recovery-oriented treatment plan, identifying the Veteran's problems, strengths, challenges, coping skills and assistance needed, in collaboration with the Veteran, family and interdisciplinary treatment team Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed Engages in coordination with community agencies, organizations, and groups to learn about services and resources available for homeless Veterans Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate Uses databases such as Veterans Information Solution (VIS), Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), SHARE Database, and the Defense Personal Records Information Retrieval System (DPRIS) to verify Veteran military service and service-connected (SC) disability information and other established venues to determine the Veteran's eligibility. Responds to the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) hotline referrals within appropriate timeframes. Facilitates utilization of resources by assessing eligibility and making referrals to a variety of VA resources and community agencies for assistance with social, emotional, financial, and physical problems. Uses databases such as Veterans Information Solution (VIS), Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), SHARE Database, and the Defense Personal Records Information Retrieval System (DPRIS) to verify Veteran military service and service-connected (SC) disability information and other established venues to determine the Veteran's eligibility. Provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate Conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members Actively participant in the treatment planning process with other discipline Act as a consultant to other team/staff members Provide case management to veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of car Provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with JCAHO, CARF, VA and medical center policy and procedures Addresses Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area Verifies the Veteran's status, facilitates eligibility determinations, and assists with enrollment for care with VA eligibility staff, and verifies eligibility for program participation Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of professional practice, including individual/family/group counseling, admission/treatment/discharge planning services, and case management Facilitates referrals to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment, and to other VA services, including Veterans Benefits, community-based social services, and non-VA entitlement programs Assists Veterans who encounter problems obtaining services from the VA and other agencies through advocacy, linkage and assisting with problem-solving/social interaction skills Conducts data collection, administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient/program clinical indicators, thresholds and performance measures for the Homeless Program. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92942-0/92943-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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