The Behavioral Health Care Line at the New Mexico VA Health Care System is seeking a full-time Social Worker to provide evidence-based assessments, psychotherapy, and discharge planning for Veterans in the Inpatient Psychiatry Program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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. Licensure: Candidate must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. 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. 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 GS-09 Grade Requirements A. Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. B. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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. GS-11 Grade Requirements A. Experience and Licensure OR Education. 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. B. 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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. 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work involves standing, stooping, lifting (perhaps greater than 50 pounds), sitting, pulling, assisting patients as needed. Additionally, moving patient and supplies and pushing patient as needed. The Social Worker is required to work at a computer work station to complete his/her documentation of incidents involving patients and the progress in the patient's overall program. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent performs social work clinical and administrative duties in an inpatient mental health treatment setting, with discharge coordination as a major component. Will be a primary member of the interdisciplinary team to identify and provide a full spectrum of social work services to veterans on an inpatient basis. Will participate in providing a training environment for psychiatry residents, psychology interns, nursing students and trainees from other disciplines, in addition to providing direct supervision for social work interns on occasion. Will provide complex clinical services to veterans with serious problems including being responsible for treatment team planning, case management, screening and assessment, psychosocial problem identification, counseling and psycho-education, discharge planning and discharge follow up. Conduct psychosocial assessments with patients and families to assess for psychosocial, health care, financial and discharge needs of the patients. Conduct interviews with the patients and their families to assess for the appropriate level of care for patients needing continued residential care, and then interact with internal and external residential programs and agencies to identify appropriate placement options. Coordinate and ensure a safe transition from the hospital to the identified residential situation. Collaborate with primary care providers, VA, government and community programs, agencies and institutions to ensure continuity of care and follow up services for patients upon discharge to facilitate continued recovery. Also monitor veteran's progress after discharge by contacting veterans/families within two working days of discharge to assess the veteran's condition and then documenting the contact in the patient's record. Conduct discharge planning groups, and assist patients with applying for financial assistance and finding alternative housing options. Administrative duties include documentation of patient contacts into the patient record in CPRS and also work load reporting. Participation in committees and membership in the ward leadership will be required. Supervision of social work student interns, documentation of their progress, and interacting with their school liaison. Also, community outreach and interacting with internal and external agencies. Work Schedule: Friday - Monday, 08:00 AM - 6:30 PM; actual Tour of Duty may be negotiated Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. The VA Martinsburg Healthcare System offers a wide range of health, support, and facility services for Veterans at 8 locations serving western Maryland, south-central Pennsylvania, northwest Virginia, and West Virginia’s eastern panhandle. Primary Care services are offered at the following locations. Martinsburg WV, Hagerstown MD, Cumberland MD, Franklin WV, Harrisonburg VA, Petersburg WV and Winchester VA.
OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
Physicians interested in caring for our America's Veterans and their families, email Nicole.Carey@va.gov or call 304-620-4354.
