Social Worker

Full Job Description

Inpatient Mental Health Social Worker who functions as a member of the Acute Mental Health Care Team.

The Social Worker will provide comprehensive psychosocial assessments, complex case management, supportive counseling, clinical treatment, discharge planning, safety planning, crisis intervention, advocacy, court liaison coordination, tracking of voluntary and involuntary admissions, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and/or agencies.

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.

Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

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 up to the full performance level. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Regulations.

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-09: Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.

Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to the experience above, must demonstrate the following: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.

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. Assignments.

Individuals assigned as GS-9 social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification.

Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to VHA program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience.

Since these social workers 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.

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-09 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 stat at the independent practice level; OR, Education: In addition to meting the 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 KSAs: In addition to the experience above, must demonstrate the following: 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.

Preferred Experience: Inpatient Mental Health 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: Ability to physically access various treatment settings within the facility. Ability to use computers frequently/continuously throughout the day for data input and communication.

Ability to use phone. Position is primarily sedentary, and incumbent must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time.

May require light lifting and carrying (under 10 pounds) and climbing stairs as needed. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Social Work: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties may include but are not limited to: Perform triaging/screening as well as comprehensive psychosocial assessments, integrating input from the Veteran, their caregiver/family, VA records, and as appropriate outside records, as well as brief assessments when appropriate.

Provide case management interventions, at times at an advanced level, used in the treatment of Veterans with cognitive, mood, anxiety, psychotic, trauma, substance, and other mental health, emotional and behavioral disorders.

Educate/link Veterans and/or their caregivers about/with appropriate VA and community resources to address their needs.

Liaison/advocate on behalf of the treatment team and/or Veteran/caregiver between settings of care, both internal and external to the VA.

Provide patient and caregiver education, both in individual and group formats. Provide motivational interviewing and supportive therapy, both in individual and group formats.

Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint. Coordinate family conferences.

Assess the need for referral for more intensive and/or specialty mental health services. Identify high-risk patients and connects with needed resources and services.

Consult, collaborate, and coordinate with other staff who provide care (both inpatient and outpatient) to the Veteran.

Complete comprehensive Veteran-centered, recovery-focused treatment plans and updates as appropriate/required. Complete clinical reminders.

Serve as a court liaison, including tracking of involuntary and voluntary admissions. Advocates for individualized treatment planning and recommendations.

Provide comprehensive and recovery-focused discharge planning services. Monitor the efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, quality of services offered within the program area.

Review relevant data, assesses the data, develops, and implement ideas for improvement. Serve as social work champion for treatment planning, discharge planning, and psychosocial needs.

Provide clinical supervision to social work interns. Participate as a member of a treatment team on the inpatient MH unit.

Collaborate with other members of the treatment team and all inpatient mental health staff.

Assist in providing as needed coverage of other Acute MH Section areas including but not limited to MH evaluation in the Emergency Department, intensive outpatient case management, community engagement, and high risk for suicide interventions.

Provide didactics to social work interns.

Involvement in the training of medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, fellows and other graduate or post-graduate trainees, as appropriate.

Serve on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as assigned by the Supervisor or the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health.

Represent social work on decision-making committees at the Medical Center or Healthcare System, as assigned by the Supervisor or the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health.

Represent the Medical Center or Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm; evenings and weekends may be required as needed for coverage.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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.

Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more Telework: This is not a telework eligible position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91552-A/00294 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized