Career Center

The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. This position is located at the OSCAR G JOHNSON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY. This position MAY approve a recruitment or relocation incentive for a highly qualified candidate. This is subject to approval and not guaranteed. 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. 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. 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. 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must meet the following grade requirements. GS-09 Grade Level (Entry Level):Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. In addition to the experience above, candidates 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 level (Full Performance Level): Experience, Education, and Licensure: 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. {Transcripts Required} 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 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 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 is sedentary, but may require walking, bending, standing, and /or carrying of light items such as files and manuals. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability. ["Major Duties include: Independently conduct psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Offers psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions. Tailor patient care/support services to meet the needs of individual patients meeting broad program goals of VA healthcare systems. Independently work with patients and families who are experiencing emotional, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group, and family counseling skills. Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, and formulates and implements a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying, and screening patients for psychosocial needs Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the patient/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care Evaluates incumbents own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means Identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with patients and their families. Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community agency programs Assists patients in completion of advance directives. Consult with family members that have a Durable Power of Attorney for health care for patients as needed. As the Ethics Consultation Coordinator (ECC) oversees the ethics consultation service and is responsible for reviewing and investigating all consults. He/she is responsible for ongoing reports of the facility's consultation activities and ensures the quality of consultation services provided. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position."]

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