Social Worker

Summary

The Social Worker is assigned to the Extended Care & Rehabilitation Patient Service Line, of the Fargo, ND Veterans Affairs Health Care System with high quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination with appropriate VA and community service providers / agencies as needed by the client. This is accomplished in collaboration with the Home Based Primary Care.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities at the GS-11 full performance level include independent performance of the following:

• Independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment.
• Collaborate with the veteran/family, and the interdisciplinary team to develop treatment plans.
• Conduct psychosocial interventions, and establish criteria to measure outcomes.
• Coordinate community-based resources for services from other VA programs, and community agencies.
• Independently identify high-risk patients, provide case management services, and provide crisis intervention services.
• Articulate both medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures which include acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology.
• Independently provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups and families within the bounds of license or certification.
• Serve as a field instructor for Social Work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements.
• Independently perform self-evaluation through professional peer review case conferences.
• Use computer software applications to draft documents, and manage data in VHA approved programs.

Work Schedule: Part time, Monday - Friday, flexible schedule, 20 hours per week between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. 

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

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
• Required to participate in the seasonal influenza prevention program
• Must hold a valid unrestricted driver's license

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/26/2019.
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: Earned 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).
• LICENSURE: Individuals must be licensed or certified at the Independent Practice Level by the state at the master's degree level. If not yet licensed proof of pending licensing paperwork must be provided. (Copy of license or certification required).
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: Social Workers must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

Grade Determinations
GS-11 GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Completion of 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 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 following knowledge, skills and abilities to qualify for this position at the GS-11 level:
KSA 1: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
KSA 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.
KSA 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.
KSA 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.
KSA 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.
KSA 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.
KSA 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.
KSA 8: Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means.
KSA 9: Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, especially those programs in use by Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Creditable Experience 
Knowledge of Current Professional Social Work Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-MSW degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. 

Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level.

Physical Requirements: The incumbent may sit and stand for periods of time to provide patient care. The incumbent may be required to lift materials under 40 pounds. The incumbent is required to access a computer and use a keyboard (e.g. to chart notes and make reports). The incumbent works in a clinic, office and hospital environment. All VHA Health Care Personnel (HCP) are required to participate in the seasonal influenza program and be vaccinated against the virus by November 30^th each season. For staff that begin work after November 30^th, they will be given 2 weeks to become compliant with the directive. Declination of the vaccine requires personnel to wear a mask while on duty during the influenza season.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.