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

Health Profession Trainees (HPT's) 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 tohttp://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 tohttp://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
• 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)
• Grandfathering Provision
• The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• 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: 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker GS-9: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• 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
• 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
• 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 - educational - and other 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: Assessments: Mental Health - Psychosocial Completion of Clinical Reminders Case Management Supportive psychotherapy - educational therapy Completion of C-SSRS - CSRE - and Safety Plans Working with patients living with substance use disorders 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-09 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses - and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds
• A pre-placement examination will be required to be able to determine if the incumbent is able to safely operate a Government Vehicle

Duties

• Veteran's family - caregiver and significant other to the appropriate program interdisciplinary team members - VA services or programs - or external programs for identified education needs
• The incumbent provides education to the Veteran and as appropriate the Veteran's family - caregiver and/or significant other about VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will and the Mental Health Advance Directive
• If the Veteran - the Veteran's family - caregiver and/or significant other expresses an interest in completing a VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will or the Mental Health Advance Directive - the incumbent will assist with the completion of said documents to the extent assistance is desired
• The incumbent provides referrals and consults for VA services and community-based services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team members
• The incumbent is responsible for the coordination of referrals for VA placements
• This includes reviewing the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for VA programs and non-VA alternatives
• The incumbent will educate the Veteran about all options available
• The incumbent will adhere to the Veteran's or as appropriate and within legal authority - the Veteran's family - caregiver - or significant other's option preference
• The incumbent provides services to the Veteran - the Veteran's family - caregiver and/or significant other - who are experiencing a variety of medical - mental health and/or social problems
• The incumbent's supervisor monitors the incumbent's work and assists with the formulation and implementation of a treatment plan - identifying the Veteran's issues - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• The incumbent works in the community - in encampments - under bridges - in homeless shelters - and at other locations where homeless Veterans may gather
• The incumbent provides referrals and consults for VA services and community-based services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team members
• The incumbent is responsible for the coordination of referrals for VA placements
• This includes reviewing the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for VA programs and non-VA alternatives
• The incumbent will educate the Veteran about all options available
• The incumbent will adhere to the Veteran's or as appropriate and within legal authority - the Veteran's family - caregiver - or significant other's option preference
• The incumbent performs admission intakes and orientation for Veterans newly admitted to the program
• The incumbent accompanies individual or groups of Veterans to assigned groups - activities - medical appointments throughout the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center and Bonham Domiciliary
• The incumbent responds to emergency contingencies which may occur throughout the Bonham Domiciliary monitoring and assisting with Veteran safety
• The incumbent conducts continual - scheduled - and routine safety - security - and cleanliness inspections of Veterans individual assigned rooms - and common areas
• As warranted - the incumbent will document discrepancies and initiate work orders Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VISN17EDRP2@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) 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 54417-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional