Social Worker

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 to 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: 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 various levels of case management 1-2 years' experience with community referrals - home health - hospice - nursing home Ability to complete psychosocial assessments Knowledge of VA resources Knowledge of Medicare/Medicaid Programs 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: The Social Work function is to be responsible for the implementation of Medical Acute Care Social Work services to the veteran population enrolled at the Harry S Truman Veterans Memorial Hospital including Community Base Outpatient Clinics (CBOC)
• There may be assignments in-patient or other specialty programs
• Services include a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of veterans and/or their family members/significant others
• Referrals typically originate from members of the interdisciplinary team - from veterans and/or their family members/significant others coming as walk-ins to seek assistance - and from community professionals
• Working with various patient populations include - but are not limited to - homeless veterans - Hospice Services - Community Living Center - Home Health services - financial resources - VA benefits - and transportation services
• This is accomplished in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary team
• Duties include but are not limited to the following: Screening/Assessment - Social Worker maintains responsibility for psychosocial assessment - case management - and other collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team (s) - the veteran - family members or significant others
• Progress notes are reviewed by other interdisciplinary team providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each veteran
• The assessment highlights the veteran's strengths - limitations - and internal/external support and service needs to optimize the veteran's functional status
• Incumbent assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving veterans - family members or significant others
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The Social worker is responsible for developing the treatment plan with the assigned team and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran - family or significant other
• Incumbent provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to the interdisciplinary team on course of treatment
• Referral to service providers - Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources
• Incumbent is responsible for educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker
• Resource Usage/Development - Social Worker maintains responsibility for using the current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs to educate and implement benefits for the veteran
• Incumbent refers to the veteran to needed services
• Advocacy - Social Worker understands the bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran - family or significant other
• Incumbent will educate and encourage the veteran - family or significant other to advocate on their own behalf - thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment
• Crisis Intervention - Social Worker uses advanced practice skills in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans
• Education/Health promotion and prevention - Social Worker provides education related to VA and community resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will and refers veterans - families or significant others to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs
• Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services - Social workers will review the progress notes from other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each veteran
• Incumbent will educate the veteran - families or significant others and the team of all the services available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family on the preferred non-institutional /institutional options
• Supportive counseling - Social workers provide the veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling or short-term solution focused counseling
• Administrative responsibilities - Social Worker enters clinically significant information from veteran - family or significant other contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates
• This information will be entered into a complete - confidential - and professional manner to ensure information on the veteran is shared with other VA staff
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:00am -3:30pm Telework: Not Available Functional Statement #: Social Worker FS/000000 EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact View email address on careers.biausa.org - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.