Social Worker

Summary The Incumbent provides social work services for Veterans enrolled in the Home-Based Primary Care program. In-home social work services are provided for Veterans with a wide variety of multiple - complex chronic illnesses and/or profound disabilities. The position involves regular independent travel to patients homes. Services provided include provision of quality case management - clinical treatment - advocacy - and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred to and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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 Master 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 Exception: VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for people 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 (a) 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 Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam - and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record Grandfathering Provision: 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 English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f) 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-9 (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 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 (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 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: 1-2 years' experience with medical social work - inpatient or outpatient 1-2 years' experience with patients who have chronic disease Experience with Microsoft office - specifically database management Ability to complete psychosocial assessments Ability to provide various levels of case management Knowledge of VA and community resources System Redesign Experience (yellow belt preferred) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit 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. Duties VA Careers - Social Work: VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to the following: Independently uses advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis of needs based on the assessment Advanced practice skills are applied to perform insightful assessments of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness - catastrophic medical conditions - dementia - and other high-risk diagnoses Collaborates with the HBPC team in the development of the interdisciplinary team plan of care - works effectively with the HBPC team and other health care providers in coordinating the patient's total care - and maintains professional relations and communications with Veterans - caregivers - VA and community health care professionals - and the public Participates in required interdisciplinary team and Social Work conferences - huddles - and meetings Educates the Veteran and/or caregiver of VA and non-VA services and resources Advocates for Veterans and their families - helping them access the services needed at the facility - at other VA facilities - and in the community Documents clinically significant information from assessments and interventions with the Veteran - family or significant other in the electronic record using assigned formats and templates - according to HBPC and Medical Center policy and JC standards Maintains and documents data regarding patient visits and other key factors in approved databases Collaborates in the performance improvement process and complies with performance measures as required by the VA - program - and Medical Center Develop effective partnerships with internal and external customers - including local - state and federal agencies as well as non-governmental organizations Maintains positive working relationships with employees - volunteers - consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies Incumbent participates effectively in team meetings - treatment planning conferences - etc Collaborates with divergent multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care Incumbent effectively communicates with and utilizes community agencies to facilitate treatment - discharge planning - and continuity of care Incumbent gives evidence of having regular contact and interaction with a variety of community agencies and resources Incumbent's relationship with supervisors - co-workers - patients - visitors - and the general public is consistently courteous and cooperative in nature and overall contributes to the effective operation of the implementation of Social Work services to the veteran population The incumbent complies with federal - state - and local environmental and other requirements preventing pollution - minimizing waste - and conserving cultural and natural resources Incumbent uses word processing software to execute several office automation functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files activating printers inserting and deleting text - formatting letters - reports - and memoranda and transmitting and receiving e-mail and utilizing computerized virtual fax capabilities Incumbent is responsible to operate a government-owned/leased vehicle 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 Work Schedule: Tuesday - Friday - 7:00am - 5:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: Social Worker/FS00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr