Summary

This position is located at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care | Veterans Affairs. This Social Worker is based within the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) in the Primary Mental Health Section.

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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• 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
• 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 https://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
• GRADE DETERMINATION GS-09 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• 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 (1) 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
• 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
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: 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 - educational - and other 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
• 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: Licensed at the advanced practice level
• Experience providing crisis intervention or walk-in services
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies
• Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands - exercise patience - and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center - standing for extended periods of time - and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams
• Position may require some travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who aid and support the ECHCS and its Veterans
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing
• viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers.

Duties

• VA offers a Comprehensive Total Rewards package: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
• This position is located at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care | Veterans Affairs
• This Social Worker is based within the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) in the Primary Mental Health Section
• The duties include but are not limited to: Completes a comprehensive assessment of the concerns - needs - and preferences of the Veteran and their family or caregiver
• The assessment includes elements such as military history - social supports - housing - transportation - education and employment - income and finances - and initial care plan
• Goal(s) and Resource Identification
• Identifies and prioritizes the Veteran's and their family/caregiver's desired or expected goal(s) and outcome(s) - as well as a resource assessment to identify available benefits - assistive options - and appropriate services and resources within and outside VHA Resources may include existing natural supports - and internal skills and coping mechanisms
• Plans and implements a care plan through coordination and collaboration with the Veteran - the family or caregivers - and VHA and community providers
• Assists Veterans/caregivers with system navigation - and linking them in a timely manner to health - mental health - health education - self-management and social services - community-based resources - or benefits - as clinically indicated
• Therapeutic Engagement and Psychosocial Intervention
• Engage - develop - and maintain therapeutic relationships with both the Veteran - families - and caregivers - utilizing resiliency-based - recovery-oriented - Veteran-centered communication and practice techniques as well as time-limited psychotherapy to facilitate progress - growth - and positive lifestyle changes
• Provides emergency/crisis intervention services to outpatients experiencing acute psychological crises - helping to stabilize these individuals - assisting in the referral arrangements for transfer to a psychiatric facility for inpatient care if necessary and providing follow up care as needed
• Care is provided on both a scheduled and unscheduled (e.g. - Same Day Access - as-needed) basis
• Care Collaboration - Coordination - Referrals - and Transitions
• Coordinates effective and timely referrals to ensure the appropriate level and type of care - working collaboratively with VA teams across ECHCS (e.g. - PACT - Home Based Primary Care - primary-care mental health integration - Whole Health - specialty Substance Abuse Treatment Program and PTSD Clinic - Suicide Prevention Team - Local Recovery Coordinator - Veterans Justice Outreach - Housing and Urban Development Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
• Health Care for Homeless Veterans
• Grant and Per Diem - Transition and Care Management - and the Caregiver Support Program) - at ECHCS (e.g. - inpatient - residential) - and across VISN 19
• Program and Outcome Evaluation
• Best practice processes - procedures - tools - and templates in their work to allow for better tracking - monitoring - and reporting of quality and performance metrics
• Documentation
• Completes all clinical charting and documentation accurately and in a timely manner as required by and according to procedures outlined by applicable accrediting organization - VHA - Medical Center - and Service policies
• Professional Responsibilities
• Engages in various administrative activities - to include peer review to assess the quality of professional care standards provided in the organization - participating in team- - clinic- - and service-based staff meetings - and engagement in continuing education activities to maintain professional licensure and any certification - to include Basic Life Support
• Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standards - Joint Commission standards - and facility standards
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday | 8:00am to 4;30pm
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 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)
• 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: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 554-52426-A - 554-52427-A
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.