Social Worker

Full Job Description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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: Candidates must 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/.

Driver's License Requirement: A current, Valid State issued Driver's License is required for this position. 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: GS-9 KSAs : GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level.

Social workers at the GS-9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification.

In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) listed below.

(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.

GS 11 Experience, Education, and Licensure: This is the full performance level of the position and requires an Experience/Education and a Licensure component.

Experience/Education: Completion of a minimum of one (1) year of post-MSW degree 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) OR a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one (1) year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

AND Licensure: Licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level is required.

GS 11 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, applicants must demonstrate that they possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) listed below.

(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.

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-9 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.

Incumbent must possess and maintain a current valid state driver's license and local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans.

The position requires significant travel in the community, through use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements, to meet with representatives/stakeholders who provide assistance, and support to Veterans in clinics, medical centers, Community Clinics, etc.

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.

Major Duties:

The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Social Worker is assigned to the VASLCHCS. The mission of CSP is to promote the health and well-being of caregivers who provide care to eligible Veterans.

This is accomplished by providing support and assistance to Primary and Secondary Family Caregivers of Veterans participating in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) and to all caregivers through the Program of General Caregiver Support and Services (PGCSS).

Provides education, consultation, support, and in-service training to VASLCHCS employees, Veterans, families, and caregivers.

Participates in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden, and to develop and apply directed clinical treatment interventions.

Conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress, psychiatric illness, emotional distress, and social needs as treatment issues.

Utilizes professional judgment, including the knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior, in daily interactions with caregivers, and for Veterans, they provide care.

Utilizes current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals, attending conferences, clinic seminars, and teleconferences, and materials distributed through VA and private sector sources.

Coordinates hands-on support group work involvement and training of PACT clinical social work staff in the development and facilitation of such groups.

Assists in the day-to-day operations of the Caregiver Support Program specific to his/her area of assignment and ensures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives.

Develops and fosters relationships with community partners to assist with system navigation, maintains collaborations, and coordinates services.

Maintains a knowledge base of current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals, attending conferences, clinic seminars, and teleconferences, and materials distributed through VA and private sector sources Develop/maintain a library of caregiver support information materials for distribution through the various inpatient/outpatient and specialty clinic settings.

Educational materials must be specific to the age group serviced in the clinic, i.e., Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease in the general and geriatric settings, and PTSD and TBI information in the general, OEF/OIF/OND, post-deployment, and Polytrauma Center settings.

Collaborate with the VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), mental health, and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues.

Work Schedule: M-F 8am-4:30pm Telework: May Be Available on an ad-hoc basis as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 54805A; 54806A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized