Social Worker
The duties of the Social Worker in Outpatient section of the Mental Health Service include but are not limited to:
The encumbent will provide Mental Health case management services to the Veteran population to include clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers as needed by the client. Conduct psychosocial assessments and document behaviors and outcomes while collaborating with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. Develop treatment plans for Veterans and set achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family. Will be the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources available and will be responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services. Assists Veteran/care giver establish the appropriate referrals based on Veteran's preference. Maintain current social work resource file and update/enhance the content to the benefit of the Veterans in order to appropriately refer Veterans to needed services and programs. Act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/Family and when appropriate/feasible, will educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate on their own behalf. Make rapid assessments and develop crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will, and refer Veterans/families to appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. Input all patient data into electronic record system using appropriate formats/templates, participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients, attend appropriate staff meetings, and maintain appropriate working relationships with co-workers, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Collaborates with multidisciplinary team members from various programs. Additional duties as assigned. Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:
30 p.m. Subject to change based on agency needs. Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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:
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. 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). Preferred
Experience:
None. Grade Determinations:
Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, Licensure:
None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. Experience may include identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Social Worker, 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:
(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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, SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD dtd Sept 10, 2019. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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:
This position is set in a office setting and will work closely with others. The physical demands may involve moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds), light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulders, walking and standing two or more hours per day, use of fingers and manual dexterity. Will also need to meet the following:
near vision (with or without correction), far vision 20/20 (one eye) and 20/40 (in other eye) with or without correction, hearing (with or without aid) and other areas as required. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services).
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
The encumbent will provide Mental Health case management services to the Veteran population to include clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers as needed by the client. Conduct psychosocial assessments and document behaviors and outcomes while collaborating with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. Develop treatment plans for Veterans and set achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family. Will be the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources available and will be responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services. Assists Veteran/care giver establish the appropriate referrals based on Veteran's preference. Maintain current social work resource file and update/enhance the content to the benefit of the Veterans in order to appropriately refer Veterans to needed services and programs. Act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/Family and when appropriate/feasible, will educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate on their own behalf. Make rapid assessments and develop crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will, and refer Veterans/families to appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. Input all patient data into electronic record system using appropriate formats/templates, participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients, attend appropriate staff meetings, and maintain appropriate working relationships with co-workers, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Collaborates with multidisciplinary team members from various programs. Additional duties as assigned. Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:
30 p.m. Subject to change based on agency needs. Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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:
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. 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). Preferred
Experience:
None. Grade Determinations:
Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, Licensure:
None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. Experience may include identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Social Worker, 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:
(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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, SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD dtd Sept 10, 2019. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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:
This position is set in a office setting and will work closely with others. The physical demands may involve moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds), light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulders, walking and standing two or more hours per day, use of fingers and manual dexterity. Will also need to meet the following:
near vision (with or without correction), far vision 20/20 (one eye) and 20/40 (in other eye) with or without correction, hearing (with or without aid) and other areas as required. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services).
- Department:
0185 Social Work - Salary Range:
$52,905 to $83,210 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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