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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. 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. PLEASE READ THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE BEGINNING THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO ENSURE YOU SUBMIT ALL THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 tohttp://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 by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. This position requires driving a government vehicle within the local commuting area. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G-39 Dated September 10, 2019 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: Must be able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity, must be able to express or exchange ideals by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens. ["The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Social Worker provides comprehensive social work services to Veterans receiving outpatient services CVAHCS, as well as to their family members. Services are typically provided to Veterans receiving Ambulatory/Primary Care, though may also include Urgent or Emergent Care, Specialty Care, or Community Care. Care settings may include any of the Community Based (CBOC), Mobile Specialty (MSOC), or Telehealth Outpatient Clinics (TPOC), Community Care Facilities such as Contract Nursing Home (CNH), or homebased services and programs. Social work services provided by the incumbent include high-quality assessment, case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, support, and care coordination, as well as resource referral and management as needed or appropriate to the Veteran's needs. The Patient Aligned Care Team is a comprehensive interdisciplinary team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion; coordination; and chronic disease management. The Social Worker actively participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and works in collaboration with Veterans and family as well as treatment team members.c Major duties of the position include: Screening/Assessment - In conjunction with the interdisciplinary treatment team, The PACT Social Worker screens and assesses the veteran's psychosocial needs and barriers in order to facilitate his or her discharge from the hospital Through collaborative relationships with the veteran, his or her family/caregiver and other VA programs and VA staff, The PACT Social Worker coordinates the gathering of information vital to the process of setting appropriate discharge goals and discharge time frames. Assessment information may include, but is not limited to: - Marital/family/social status - Concern for abuse / neglect / financial exploitation - Employment/financial status - Use of entitlement programs - Legal problems/issues - Impact of medical problems on psychosocial functioning - Strengths/Limitations Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - From screening/assessment information, The PACT Social Worker determines realistic goals that consider such factors as a) the appropriate level of discharge care, b) the setting conducive to providing such care, c) the need for interventions to enhance caregiver support to allow for the least restrictive level of care, d) transportation options/barriers and e) the steps to obtaining resources (VA or community) that make the transition from the inpatient setting successful. Advance Directive Screening and completion - Screen Veterans while in the outpatient setting to identify need to provide education and offer assistance with completing an advance directive. Referral to service providers - To facilitate the continuity of a veteran's recovery, the PACT Social Worker will arrange referrals to needed VA and/or community resources (e.g., home health care, assisted living facilities, extended care facilities/nursing homes, services available through area agencies on aging, community support groups, hospice care, community-based extended care). The PACT Social Worker will collaborate with other service providers in re-assessing the veteran's needs during the eligibility determination process, coordinating access to information needed for the referral. Additionally, the PACT Social Worker will educate the veteran and/or caregiver about the available services and their shared responsibility in accessing such services. The veteran's preferences or that of his or her surrogate decision-maker will be considered throughout the referral and care coordination process. Crisis Intervention - Assess and intervene in any medical or psychiatric crises presented by the veteran and participate in developing crisis management and safety plans to minimize the event of future crises. Supportive counseling - Provide the veteran and his or her family/caregivers with time-limited, supportive counseling. With the intent of assisting the veteran and his or her family/caregivers in coping with the psychosocial impact of chronic and disabling illnesses, the onset of catastrophic illness, bereavement issues, domestic violence, The PACT Social Worker will evaluate the need for more specialized mental health care and refer to appropriate VA or community resources. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be available to highly qualified candidates Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD50895A and PD50895A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Martha Kimmel, the EDRP Coordinator, at martha.kimmel@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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