Social Worker
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
For the GS-09 Grade: The social worker at the GS-9 level exercises substantial professional responsibility in providing social work services utilizing a variety of skills in working with clients with a variety of psychosocial and environmental problems. Services provided by the social worker include direct practice (individual, group, family, couple and program development for target populations), multidisciplinary practice (treatment team, collaboration, consultation, work groups, and coordination), community practice (public relations, resource development, resource coordination), training (social work and multidisciplinary staff), research, and student supervision. The social worker utilizes a variety of theories and models, which are selected, integrated and adapted to the given client biopsychosocial situation. All practice is subject to varying kinds and amounts of supervision depending on workers needs and new or specialized assignments. All practice is subject to frequent supervision as determined by the social work supervisor. The social worker will demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to provide car e appropriate to the adult and geriatric patients served, including the ability to obtain and interpret information to identify patient needs and to provide the care needed. The social worker is a skilled interviewer able to apply such skills relevantly and appropriately to given situations with client, groups and within the total system. Direct practice skills include consistency and independence in the effective integration of data gathering, assessment, ongoing assessment, planning, social work treatment (i.e., implementation of treatment plan), evaluation of treatment goals, follow-up, and program development. For the GS-11 Grade: The social worker independently performs duties and responsibilities by providing a high level of professional social work services to clients with a broad range of psychosocial and environmental problems. At this level the social worker exercises mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of social work skills and techniques in working with clients on a regular basis having serious problems and presenting with complicated cases. Services provided by the social worker include direct practice (individual, group, family, couple and program development for target populations), multidisciplinary practice (treatment team, collaboration, consultation, work groups, and coordination), community practice (public relations, resource development, resource coordination), training (social work and multidisciplinary staff), research, and student supervision. The social worker utilizes a variety of theories and models, which are selected, integrated and adapted to the given client biopsychosocial situation. All practice is subject to varying kinds and amounts of supervision depending on workers needs and new or specialized assignments. The social worker functions under the overall direction of the Social Work Supervisor exercising independence regarding assignments and carrying major responsibility for work with other disciplines. Social workers in decentralized inpatient programs are professionally accountable to a Social Work Supervisor in Social Work Service (SWS) but are organizationally accountable to a Patient Centered Team Coordinator (PCTC). The social worker is accountable for identifying and discussing problems regarding the assignment, quality of work performed and administrative issues with his/her supervisor. Developments of professional or program interest (such as shifting trends of population being serviced) are identified in clinical or administrative supervision. The social worker has sufficient personal self-awareness to evaluate his/her work objectively and without assistance. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0257-A, 0258-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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.] 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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services English Language Proficiency: Candidate must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authority by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: GS-09 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 utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors. (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. Grade Determination 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR 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, educational, and other 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. - Preferred Experience: Evidence-based psychotherapy, previous Veterans Administration Medical Center experience or previous hospital experience. 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.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.