Social Worker - Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT)

Summary The Social Worker will be joining the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion - coordination and chronic disease management. The incumbent will be assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptons of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence. Summary The Social Worker will be joining the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion - coordination and chronic disease management. The incumbent will be assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptons of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence. Qualifications 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 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 SW Licensure Summary by State 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 for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates Social Worker - 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 work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills (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 - copying skills - and assistance needed (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals This 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 Social Worker - GS-11: 1 Experience and Licensure : Appointment at the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-09 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 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 various socio-economic - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified backgrounds (c) Knowledge and experience in the use 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 student - 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 medical social work case management experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services Duties VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include - but not limited to: Assesses psychosocial problems that cause distress - often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care Completes thorough assessments to determine the underlying causes of the presenting problem(s) - the interpersonal and environmental factors impacting the problem - and its effect on the patient's ability and desire to comply with the treatment recommendations by the multidisciplinary team Helps the patient and family to understand the contributing factors to the problem(s) - will discuss with them the pros and cons of possible short-term and long-term solutions - encouraging them to make positive and lasting changes to reduce stressors Facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources - VA benefits and specialty programs - and Advance Directives Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr