Social Worker (Inpatient Psychiatry Unit)

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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. 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 Master of Social Work Licensure People 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) 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: Social Worker - GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure None beyond the basic requirements Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all 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 Social Worker - 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 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 Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all 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.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: Preference for Mental Health experience and Care Coordination.* References: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standards - GS-185 - Veterans Health Administration 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 This position provides social work services to the Veteran population enrolled in the Inpatient/Residential Mental Health Section in the MHS at the SAVAHCS Services include provision of high-quality case management - clinical treatment - advocacy - and coordination with other appropriate VA or community service providers and/or agencies as needed by the patient Services are provided in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team Promotion to the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of 1 year of post graduate experience in the field of social work and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level In addition to meeting basic requirements - a Doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school of social work may substitute for the required 1 year of post graduate professional social work experience in a clinical setting Individuals assigned as GS-11 social workers are considered to be 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) Major duties include but are not limited to: The incumbent establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families - including those facing complex medical - psychiatric - substance use - behavioral - or psychosocial challenges The incumbent completes thorough (or abbreviated when appropriate) biopsychosocial assessments to determine the substance use and mental health needs - psychosocial functioning and associated needs of the Veteran and/or their family The incumbent - under the supervision of a licensed social worker - conducts assessments of high-risk patients to identify risk factors - protective factors - and develops a safety plan using the Suicide Risk Assessment (SRA) and other appropriate tools The incumbent - under the supervision of a licensed social worker - can provide substance use and mental health focused psychosocial interventions outlined in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines The incumbent actively participates as an interdisciplinary treatment team member through collaboration with the Veteran and family to develop and implement social work treatment goals and interventions The incumbent can develop a timely and viable transition/discharge plan in concert with the Veteran - their family - and the interdisciplinary treatment team The incumbent educates the Veteran and family regarding community resources and makes referrals to these resources for community reintegration as appropriate Referrals may include but are not limited to medical - substance abuse - mental health - potential crisis support - housing - and financial resources The incumbent is able to facilitate community placements through partnership with the Veteran and their family as well as the interdisciplinary treatment team in a timely manner Community placement referrals may involve but are not limited to contract nursing homes - community living centers - residential care homes - and inpatient and outpatient hospice services The incumbent possesses knowledge and the ability to provide psycho-educational treatment modalities - educational classes - and/or treatment including supportive groups for the Veteran and his or her family The incumbent demonstrates basic knowledge of evidence-based therapies and experience in providing individual - group - and family psychotherapy The incumbent provides consultation and education to the Veteran and their family regarding advanced directives - community resources - eligibility for benefits and specialty programs Consultation and education include the process of providing information - referrals - accessing and/or coordinating the VA and/or non-VA community-based services The incumbent provides consultation to the treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of the Veteran and/or family and how these needs impact the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment The incumbent maintains knowledge of the Veteran's benefits and services - community resources - and processes for making appropriate referrals to the community and other governmental programs or agencies The incumbent possesses skills and knowledge to provide case management services to the Veteran and his or her family throughout the continuum of care The incumbent possesses and demonstrates the ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from diverse backgrounds Work Schedule: Friday - Saturday/ 0800-1830 EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive Contact View email address on click.appcast.io - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Learn more Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs