Social Worker (HUD VASH)

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more

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.
• EDUCATION: Earned 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).
• 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/ (Copy of license or certification required).
  • 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. (a) 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. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.

Grade Determinations:
Social Worker GS-9
Experience, Education, and Licensure: The entry level is used for Social Workers with less than one year of post-master's degree experience or for Social Workers who are graduates, not yet licensed at the independent practice level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below:

• 1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
• 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.

GS-11 Social Worker:
Experience, Education and Licensure: Appointment to the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) OR, In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below:

• 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39

Physical Requirements: Day-to-day work involves sitting, walking, standing and carrying light objects. The position requires the ability to drive a government vehicle. The work requires the use of a computer. Work may require assisting physically disabled Veterans.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Responsibilities:

The incumbent is responsible for completing the following duties/responsibilities:

a. Will conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members.
b. Active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
c. Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate.
d. Provides individual, family and group counseling as appropriate.
e. Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits.
f. Acts as a consultant to other team/staff members.
g. Acts as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed.
h. Provides case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.
i. Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate.
j. Will address Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area.
k. Provides wellness/prevention education and facilitate Patient/family support groups as appropriate.
l. The incumbent will as appropriate, supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker.
m. Coordinates treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans.
n. Participates in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager.
o. The incumbent will maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, CARF, VA and medical center policy and procedures.
p. Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death.
q. The incumbent will document social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care.
r. Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends or outside of business hours.
s. The incumbent will maintain familiarity and responsibility for all performance measures relating to the HUD-VASH Program.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 0800-1630
EDRP Authorized: Contact stacy.hermann@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance

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