Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (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 appointment. Program 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 EDRP application.

Qualifications

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until June 30 - 2025 or until position is filled. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be April 21 - 2025. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. *** 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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74 - to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English
• See Chapter 2 - section D - paragraph 5a - this part
• 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
• 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
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• 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
• Social Worker - GS-11 Experience and/or Education
• 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)
• 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
• 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.NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• 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: VA experience preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical acitivty including sitting - walking - bending - & carrying supplies
• Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light & sedentary duties with occasional moderate physical demands - exercise patienence - & control emotions - with reasonable accommodation - if necessary - without endangering the health & safety of the soical worker or others
• The position may require travel in the community - through the use of a government vehicle - or other individual arrangements - to meet with representatives/stakeholders who provide assistance & support to Veterans in clinics - medical centers - community clinics - etc
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as
• preparing & analyzing data & figures - transcribing - viewing a computer terminal - extensive reading - & repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - &/or fingers.

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 Conduct biopsychosocial assessments to determine care coordination & treatment needs of Veterans
• Provide crisis intervention when indicating including timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs - evaluate risk - & initiate safety plans as appropriate
• Provide individual - family - & group counseling as appropriate
• Provide wellness/prevention education & may facilitate patient/family education/bridging supportive sessions as appropriate
• Documents interventions & activities in patient's electronic health record & ensure appropriate hand-off communication & documentation when transferring patient care
• Provide case management serving as an advocate on behalf of Veterans - & thier families & be assigned to a BHIP team to ensure delivery of comprehensive - seamless mental health services is maintained throughout the continuum of care
• This includes communication within & across care lines to facilitiate continuity of care for Veterans
• Acts as a liaision between VA and community resources - to include education & bidrectional communication that promotes seamless care
• Maintain familiarity & share responsibility with other team members or performance measures relevant to the BHIP team
• Serve on Interdisciplinary Treatment Team(s)
• Conduct biopsychosocial assessments & treatment interventions for Veterans from various backgrounds
• Actively participates in the treatment planning process with other disciplines
• Participates in discharge planning with other discipliens & is responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely & appropriate to promote care continuity
• Provides training/mentoring & oversight of new staff & those not yet clinically licensed and preparing for training to staff on CARF & Joint Commission standards & accreditation process
• Responsible for improving professional skills - participating in planning - & executing specific staff development projects - attending seminars & institutes - & participating in training programs of other disciplines as requested
• Participates in committee assignements
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be available
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Jillana.martinez@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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: May be available on an ad hoc basis
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60649-0 / 60650-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.