The Social Worker - Mental Health Clinic (MHC) Triage And Acute Psychiatry works within the interdisciplinary Mental Health Clinic (MHC) Triage Team as a Clinical Social Worker at the Wm. S. Middleton VA Medical Center in Madison, WI. This position provides a full range of social work services in the same day access clinic, known as the Front Door/MHC Triage and the Acute Psychiatric Unit (2B). 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: Must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: 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 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 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. 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 DETERMINATES: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Grade Determinations: You must demonstrate the following GS-9 Level Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 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 Level Experience: 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). OR Education: 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. Transcripts must be submitted with your application. AND You must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 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 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and the Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UUMental Health Triage Primary Duties (but not limited to): Assess Veterans who present with psychiatric and psychosocial emergencies. Identify high-risk patients and provide case management services in compliance with the Uniform Services Handbook and VA Suicide Prevention protocols. Provide crisis intervention services, including timely and appropriate interventions to prevent harm to self or others, as well as coordination of family involvement when indicated. Consult with supervisor, psychiatrist, Suicide Prevention Coordinators and/or other team members when moderate or high risk of harm is identified. Complete suicide prevention documentation in accordance with established guidelines. Provide timely screening of incoming patient referrals for mental health care. Inclusive of assessing treatment needs then coordinating indicated care. Complete consult management activities for newly referred patients to outpatient mental health Provide applicable follow-up care to and suicide prevention documentation for Veterans discharged from VA and non-VA hospitalizations when indicated. Complete outreach activities and attempt to re-engage Veterans that have missed their intake appointments and/or when indicated. Complete Suicide Prevention protocols and documentation when Veterans screen positive on the C-SSRS, receive a high/intermediate risk rating on Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations or when indicated. Acute Psychiatric Unit Primary Duties (but not limited to): Conduct psychosocial assessments using defined format to determine needs of veterans and family members. The incumbent will document in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. Participate in discharge planning with the treatment team and be responsible to ensure the discharge plan is executed in a timely way. Provides all social work discharge planning services as indicated but no less than: Family meeting, screening for homeless program services, screening for MHICM services/referral, safety plan, Advance Directives, post-discharge follow up appointments and discharge transportation (when Veteran is eligible for VA travel). Coordinate with all VA and non-VA outpatient providers while patient is on the acute psychiatry unit to ensure a safe, effective plan for care is developed prior to discharge. Assist Veterans in accessing applicable housing, transportation, financial, legal, food resources necessary for a safe and effective discharge from the acute psychiatry unit. Adhere to all post-discharge scheduling protocols, inclusive of suicide prevention scheduling requirements. Incumbent includes patient's family, collaterals and supports for consultation and education with Veteran's permission or when they are the legal surrogate. Ensure JC standards are met by following facility policy regarding Advance Directives. Incumbent is a subject matter expert on Guardianships, Commitments, Organ Donation and placements and ensures they educate staff and complete these processes. Work Schedule: Full-Time onsite - The incumbent is expected to work a tour of duty most advantageous to the Veterans we serve and the department as a whole. This is typically M-F 8-4:30pm, 7:30-4:00pm, or 8:30-5:00pm. Compressed Schedule: May be considered on a case by case basis and are dependent on patient care needs or needs of the department. Telework: AD-HOC (Employees who telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term basis) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.