Social Worker

Job Title

Social Work

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care. These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition, untreated or under-treated mental health or substance abuse condition, economic instability, legal problems, and inadequate housing and transportation. Referrals typically originate from any member of the interdisciplinary team, from Veterans and/or their families who call or walk-in for assistance, and from community professionals. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Able to independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, financial, legal and psychosocial problems. Effective social work in the PACT context often occurs over a series of several visits.
• Independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families.
• Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions.
• Possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures - including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses; substance abuse disorders; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology.
• Facilitate 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.
• Serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services.
• Possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families, including shared medical appointments.
• Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources; VA benefits and specialty programs; and advance directives. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community programs.
• Available to provide 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 and compliance with treatment.
• Maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies.

Work Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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

Ad-Hoc telework eligible.

Virtual

This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #

F05004/F03557.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

Not authorized.