Summary

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. The incumbent for this position functions as part of multidisciplinary patient aligned care teams (PACTs) - and delivers brief - consultation-based services to Veterans within the primary care service context. .

Qualifications

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
• 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
• 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 (within 3 years of their appointment)
• 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 for GS-9: 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: 1
• Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• 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
• Grade Determinations for GS-11: 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the applicant's resume must demonstrate all the following KSAs: 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
• Creditable Experience
• The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices
• To be creditable - the experience must have required the use of knowledge - skills - abilities - and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice
• The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree
• Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice - which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker - as defined by the appropriate state licensing board
• Quality of Experience
• Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled
• Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is 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 includes but are not limited: 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
• Functions successfully as a member of a multidisciplinary team of medical and mental health providers and provides consultation about mental health diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans to professionals representing a variety of disciplines
• Must independently complete thorough 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
• Must facilitate continuity of care by collaborating and providing consultation with the referring interdisciplinary treatment team to promote appropriate treatment and rehabilitation in discharge planning
• Must serve as a liaison between the Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources to ensure through delivery of services 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
• Aids with the orientation and learning of less experience social workers and if interested to serve as a preceptor for social work students if the incumbent possesses the appropriate credentials to be a preceptor
• Will assist in the orientation of new staff to the BHIP team Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: Social Worker (Psychotherapist) - Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) GS-0185-9/11 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized