Summary

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6) - and Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC). This position is aligned under the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program (PCMHI) and Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) Hub - which is administratively aligned under the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Line.

Qualifications

pplicants 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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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)
• 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
• 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
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• 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: 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:This is the full performance level
• Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work
• 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
• 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: 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 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: The work is primarily sedentary
• The employee may sit comfortably in an office or clinic to perform the work
• However - there may be some walking - standing - stooping - bending - and carrying light items such as papers - books - etc
• It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally
• Reaching above shoulder
• Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day)
• Sitting (4-7 hours per day)
• Walking up to 6 hours per day)
• Standing (up to 8 hours per day)
• Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs
• Some bending
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Correctable near sighted and far-sighted vision
• Hearing (Aid permitted).

Duties

• Incumbent is a professional licensed independent social worker whose duties and responsibilities are centered on provision of services to veterans in our PCMHI Program
• The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating Veterans who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and psychosocial problems
• Direct contacts are provided to the Veterans and their families
• The frequency of contact may increase during times of crisis
• Social Work case management and practice will also include psychosocial assessment - diagnosis - treatment planning - and treatment implementation
• Duties include but not limited to: Provides immediate access to clinical assessment and appropriate collaborative care and treatment for those experiencing mental health symptoms or behavioral health issues
• Provides individual and group interventions to support patients that are coping with health psychology presentations (e.g. - sleep - pain - adherence to medical regimen - adjustment to illness) - psychosocial stressors - grief or phase of life difficulties (e.g. - discrimination - stress management - coping with loss - transition to civilian life) - and mild-moderate mental health presentations
• Provides cognitive screenings to address specific functional and/or cognitive ability questions as indicated
• May have secondary duties in other outpatient or inpatient medical settings - and other duties as assigned
• Must independently complete through psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their families
• The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veterans maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable
• Ability to work with patients and families who are experiencing a basic emotional - medical - and social problems utilizing individual - group - and family counseling skills
• Has the ability to serve veterans who tend to have serious frequent and severe crises - lack family or an adequate community support network - be poor at self-monitoring - frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment - have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support
• Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationship with Veterans in the Mental Health Center and/or their families
• Must possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures including acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology
• Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds
• Is willing to serve on committees - work groups - and task forces at the facility or in the community as deemed appropriated by the supervisor and Chief of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences
• Completes the various documentary requirements of the program in accordance with policy guidance
• Follow suicide prevention guidelines and risk assessment documentation and training requirements
• Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work Standards - Joint Commission - CARF standards and facility standards - including meeting VERA standards in veteran care
• May be assigned other duties that may be administrative - and/or clinical in either the BHIP program or for the Mental Health Behavioral Service Line
• Other duties as assigned
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Work Schedule: 8:00AM - 4:30PM Telework: Ad-hoc - determine by Management
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized