Career Center

The social worker provides psychosocial clinical care to Veterans participating in the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) program. The social worker serves as the primary contact and liaison for Veterans directly assigned to them for care within the community. The social worker is responsible for having working knowledge of all Veterans participating in the MHICM program so that cross-coverage can be provided whenever required through the use of a shared caseload model. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/20/2022. 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters 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 on the OHRM website. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons 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. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met. Grade Requirements: GS-09 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. 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. Examples of GS-09 experience are but not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. OR 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. Additionally, you will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Please make sure that each is addressed in your application package. GS-09 1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 5. 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. GS-11 1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically 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-00 to GS-00. Physical Requirments: The work comprises both sedentary and physical components, such as walking long distances, lifting, carrying or moving small weighted objects. The work may require using appropriate technique to physically restrain clients who present a danger to self or others. Specific vision abilities required by this job include, but are not limited to, close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Employee is required to be able to pass a physical examination clearing them to be able to drive a government vehicle and carry the designation of incidental driver. ["The social worker is expected to provide intensive clinical case management services to Veterans with serious and persistent mental illness, and potentially substance use disorders, on a regular and ongoing basis. The array of psychosocial services to be provided include, but are not necessarily limited to suicide screening, assessment and prevention, healthcare access, crisis intervention, emergency location of food, clothing and shelter, legal referral services, financial referral services, employment or structured daily activity, socialization, and assistance problem-solving for other issues encountered in daily living. Program objectives will be met through case management services provided through frequent home visits, medication monitoring assistance, resource development and linkage as well as other clinical social work services. The social worker employs a Recovery Model approach to services by empowering Veterans to fully participate in their care, treatment planning, selection of available treatment options, living arrangements, social opportunities and any other personal decision making that significantly impacts their life quality. The social worker employs a variety of psychological, rehabilitation, social work, counseling and mental health techniques including but not limited to individual, group, vocational, educational, substance abuse and readjustment counseling. The social worker provides outreach services to clients and engages in community networking which may include coordination with lawyers, residential care home operators, physicians, clergymen, and representatives of other disciplines who are concerned with the same Veterans or group of Veterans. Duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Psychosocial Assessment - The social worker will complete a psychosocial assessment of the Veteran, family, economic, community, and psychosocial support systems according to program Standard Operation Procedure (SOP). Case Management - The social worker will function as a case manager for Veterans in the MHICM program performing duties to facilitate independent community living by coordinating mental health and community care. MHICM Consults - The social worker will respond to consults as determined by the program coordinator by utilizing a screening tool and other measurement devices while assessing the Veteran's emotional, functional, and psychological condition. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The social worker is responsible for contributing to the treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family in collaboration with the MHICM interdisciplinary treatment team members. Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment, the social worker is the subject matter expert on Veteran Affairs (VA) and/or community resources. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for additional resources in support of the Veteran's recovery. Crisis Intervention - The social worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management or suicide prevention safety plans. Work Schedule: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Monday through Friday)\nCompressed: Available\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 92171-0 (GS-9) 92172-0 (GS-11)\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]