Social Worker

Job Title

GS-9 Social Worker

Duties

GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-0185 Social Work series and is used for Social Workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. The employer is responsible to arrange ongoing supervision for licensure qualification and must pass the licensure exam within the specified time frame to maintain his/her position with the Salem VAMC.

Responsibilities include:

• Establishing and maintaining effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans engaged with mental health or substance use services and/or their families.
• Completing thorough psychosocial assessments and diagnostic interviews to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families.
• Contributing to the development of the patient centered treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran, family members/significant others and other inpatient mental health clinical staff.
• Being licensed at the practice level by the state in which they are licensed to provide this service within 3 years of their appointment as a social worker.
• Keeping their supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the candidate's area of responsibility.

GS-11: Individuals assigned as GS-11 Social Workers are at the full performance level. A GS-11 social worker has a master's degree in Social Work granted by a graduate program fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and maintains a license.

Responsibilities include:

• Establishing and maintaining effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans engaged with mental health or substance abuse services and/or their families.
• Possessing a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures.
• Providing consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning.
• Demonstrating ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds.
• Keeping their supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the candidate' area of responsibility.

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday, 7:45 am-4:30pm

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

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).

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.

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.

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

Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Ad-hoc Telework