Summary

Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date. 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.

Qualifications 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/
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 the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates Travel is a regular part of the position and the incumbent must be able to pass a driver physical from the VA
Social Worker, GS-9: (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure
None beyond the basic requirements.(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In addition to the experience above, the candidate 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
Social Worker, GS-11: (1) 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
(2) 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.( 3) 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 (ie
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
Preferred Experience: Social Worker with experience in Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program, HUD-VASH
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-9 to GS-11
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties "VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Please note this position will require 50% or more of local community travel.
FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: Evaluates each Veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and priority for admission.
Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary plan, involving the Veteran (and family or significant others as appropriate), and performs a thorough assessment of serious and complicated cases involving behavioral health conditions which may also include catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and other high risks diagnoses or symptoms.
As part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, the incumbent interviews the Veteran and/or their family members to establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health.
Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a professional determination based on identified needs and strengths and other psychosocial factors.
Develops psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the Veteran and/or their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment.
Documents in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, medical and psychosocial conditions, services provided, care coordination and plans, progress notes, follow up and referral.
GS-11: The incumbent will conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members.
The incumbent is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
The incumbent will participate 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.
The incumbent will provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate.
The incumbent will provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits.
The incumbent will act as a consultant to other team/staff members.
The incumbent will act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed.
The incumbent will provide case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.
The incumbent will provide 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.
The incumbent will provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which include case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate.
The incumbent will maintain familiarity and responsibility for all performance measures relating to the HUD-VASH Program.
Work Schedule: M - F, 08:00 - 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
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) Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 00000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"