Social Worker

Responsibilities

Assignment areas include:

Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Units (Ward 7 and 6C): SW duties include biopsychosocial assessment and individual/group patient care for Veterans ranging in age from young adult hood to geriatric years who require acute psychiatric stabilization on one of three secured inpatient units. Discharge planning is also an intricate role of inpatient psychiatric SW.

Outpatient Mental Health: Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, direct patient care, screening and evaluation of behavioral consults, triage of secure messaging, phone calls, for Veterans receiving outpatient mental health services and assessment and triage of vets who seek walk-in/urgent mental health care. Outpatient SW may also include TELE MH and intensive case management of Veterans with SMI or suicide prevention needs.

Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Program (MHRRTP): Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, direct patient care, assessment, planning and evaluations, use of medical equipment and medication management for Veterans admitted to one of three residential units.

Substance Use Disorders (SUD) : Specific responsibilities include case work specific to the Substance using/abusing Veteran population. This work includes, but is not limited to, individual (and group) counseling as well as assessments regarding addiction and substance use.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/31/2019.

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.
• Licensure. Full, unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level.
• Education. Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work.

Grade Determinations:

GS-9: Experience, Education and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-11 Experience, Education and Licensure. Applicants must have a minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR,
In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (b) below.

1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
2. Ability to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and assistance needed, in collaboration with the patient, family and interdisciplinary treatment team.
3. Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) and the differential influences of the environment, society and culture.
4. Knowledge and experience in the use 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.
5. Knowledge of psychosocial treatment and ability to independently implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals. This requires independent judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving or crisis intervention techniques.
6. Ability to independently provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups and families. Social workers must practice within the bounds of their license or certification. For example, some states may require social workers providing psychotherapy to have a clinical level of licensure.
7. Ability to provide consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Ability to provide orientation and coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students. Ability to serve as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements.
8. Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means.
9. Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, especially those programs in use by VHA.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39- Social Worker Qualification Standard.

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.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds); moderate carrying (under 15-44 pounds); walking (3 hours); standing (3 hours); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; specific visual requirement (good distant vision in one eye); and hearing (aid permitted).

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.