Social Worker - Primary Care (PACT)

Summary The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Social Worker. The Social Worker will function in the Primary Care clinic and will support the Women's Health Program. Qualifications 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. In order to qualify for this position - you must meet the requirements below within 30 calendar days of the closing date listed on the announcement. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9) - as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - enacted November 1 - 2000 To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship Be a citizen of the United States (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part) 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 3 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 English Language Proficiency Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f) 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 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 Grade Determinations: 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 work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills 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 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 - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified backgrounds Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures (i 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 References: 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-09 to GS-11 Physical Requirements: Incumbent will need to have the ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination - correctable vision as required for a driver's license - hearing with or without aid - depth perception - ability to distinguish basic colors and emotional and mental stability He/she must have the use of fingers - both hands required and both legs required (including one prosthetic) The incumbent must also be able to perform walking (up to 4 hours) - standing (up to 4 hours) and must be able to negotiate multiple flights of steps. Duties The Social Worker duties include - but are not limited to: Completes an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the veteran - and family members Contributes to the development of the treatment plan and sets achievable goals with the veteran and family members Provides the veterans and their family members with ongoing supportive counseling - as needed Coordinates VA community-based services - as well as additional services from other VA programs - government programs and community agencies Educates the veteran and their family members on all available options and complete necessary referrals Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees - volunteers - consumers and stakeholders within the VA and community agencies Develops rapid assessments and crisis management plans Provides education and assists veterans with the completion of VA Advance Directives Attends all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings - social work staff meetings - social work supervision - and other committees and workgroups - as appropriate) and performs other duties as required Collaborates in the performance improvement processes and complies with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program VA Careers - Social Work: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am-4:30pm 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 Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 92547-A (GS-9) 92546-A (GS-11) Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr Direct Jobs