Career Center

The incumbent social worker is assigned to the Outpatient Substance Use Disorder (SUD)Treatment Program of the Mental Health Service Line. This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Repayment is limited to $10,000 annually, up to $60,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program. 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: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Education Requirement: Master of Social Work: Applicants must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Note: 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. OR Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Licensure Requirement: Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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. OR Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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 appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. OR Grandfathering Provision: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. 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-9 None beyond the basic requirements. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. 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 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: 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 Preferred Experience: Mental Health 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: Light lifting and carrying up to 15 pounds to lift items such as books, binders, reports and records. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Clinical mental health social work functions include the following independently performed tasks:\n1. Ability to conduct biopsychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture.\n2. Ability to work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group, and family psychotherapy skills. Work with more complex problems is done under close supervision. With guidance from the social work supervisor, ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed in collaboration with the patient, family and interdisciplinary treatment team.\n3. Knowledge of psychosocial treatment modalities and, under supervision, 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.\n4. Provide case management to veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.\n5. The incumbent will coordinate treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans.\n6. Provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate.\n7. Assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death.\n8. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. The incumbent will act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relations duties as needed.\n9. Knowledge and experience in the use 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.\n10.Provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives, and VA benefits.\n11.Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate.\n12.Ability to provide consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.\n13.Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means.\n14.Participate in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the supervisor.\n15.Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, CARF, VA and medical center policy and procedures.\n16.Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, especially those programs in use by VHA. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0800-1630--evenings and weekends maybe required.\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]