Social Worker - Program of General Caregiver Support Services
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 eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Major duties
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The Social Worker provides comprehensive clinical social work services to Veterans experiencing a broad range of psychosocial, behavioral, medical, and environmental concerns. The incumbent independently assesses Veteran needs, develops and implements treatment plans, coordinates multidisciplinary care, connects Veterans and caregivers with community resources, and collaborates with healthcare professionals to promote positive health outcomes. This position serves Veterans across the continuum of care and may support specialized populations in accordance with program needs. Duties include but are not limited to: Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments to identify Veteran strengths, needs, barriers, and treatment goals. Develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate individualized treatment and case management plans. Provide individual, family, group, and caregiver interventions using evidence-based social work practices. Coordinate care with interdisciplinary treatment teams, VA programs, and community agencies to ensure continuity of services. Connect Veterans and caregivers with federal, state, local, and community resources to address psychosocial, financial, housing, transportation, caregiver, and other supportive service needs. Advocate for Veterans by coordinating appropriate referrals, benefits, and supportive services while promoting patient-centered care. Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with VA policies, accreditation standards, and professional practice requirements. Participate in interdisciplinary meetings, case conferences, quality improvement initiatives, and program development activities. Provide consultation to staff, community partners, and trainees as appropriate while maintaining effective professional relationships. Maintain current knowledge of social work practices, VA policies, and program requirements through continuing education and professional development. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD258-0 and PD0257-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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. Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet the following grade requirements. Social Worker, GS-9: Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates 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; Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members. In collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams, identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity. Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals. 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. AND Demonstrated 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, 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: Experience working with geriatric Veterans or medically complex populations; conducting field/home visits; independently managing a clinical caseload; collaborating with interdisciplinary teams; and coordinating community resources. LCSW 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary but requires distance driving. It may require some occassional lifting (10-35 lbs). Requires reaching above shoulder, twisting neck with ability to see from side to side with range of motion of at least 45 degrees, and ability to coordnate all four extremeties. Position requires frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day), sitting (4-7 hours per day), walking up to 6 hours per day, or standing up to 8 hours a day. Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs and some bending. Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Incumbent is responsible to operate a government-owned/-leased vehicle and/or driving patients, to properly carry out assigned duties. Incumbents must possess [and maintain] a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that they are medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely.
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