Social Worker

Full Job Description

As a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Navigator, provide case management and intervention support in a team-oriented, recovery-based program.

Provide continuity of care between Homeless Programs through services to Veterans with SUD.

Provide ongoing substance use case management and early treatment interventions to promote sustained stability and abstinence while receiving services and post-discharge until transitioned to another care manger as needed.

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 state 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: Former experience as SUD Navigator; Community-based outreach experience.

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 the phone. The position is primarily sedentary, and the 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.

Possession of a current and valid driver's license is a requirement as the incumbent is required to provide consultation services to satellite VA operations and community providers across the medical center catchment area.

Ability to walk up and down steps. Ability to navigate unfamiliar surroundings. 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: Provide direct SUD services for SSVF Grantees. Provide Outreach services for SSVF Grantees.

Conduct intake and need assessment of homeless Veterans and their significant others. Provide all necessary assessment functions, e.g.

interviewing, psychosocial histories, and SUD assessments to aid in the development of treatment plans.

Assist in the development of treatment plans with the Veteran that address the factors that contributed to homelessness, including SUD and other co-occurring factors within a recovery model framework.

Work with the Veteran to realize the Veteran's treatment goals and reassesses and revises goals as indicated by the Veteran's engagement in treatment.

Organize and conduct individual and group case management and SUD treatment, including early interventions and supportive follow-up to ensure stability in-home visits and facility-based contacts.

Provide SUD support to the SSVF Grantee as a functional member of this team, including consultation, interventions, or accompanying other case managers on home visits, when indicated by suspicion of SSVF participant SUD use.

Serve as a member of a multidisciplinary homeless program treatment team.

Will develop partnerships with community agencies, especially those serving homeless and SUD Veterans, with regular contact and communication.

Provide liaison services with other programs referring homeless Veterans to SSVF to ensure continuity of care and promote the successful transition of Veterans from one program to another.

Participate in policymaking, goal setting, and treatment service planning discussions with SSVF Grantees and Homeless Programs.

Provide appropriate clinical documentation for all contacts with or about Veterans.

Responsible for the collection of statistical data and for reviewing the data to improve performance and delivery of services to homeless Veterans.

Provide recovery-oriented treatment with the goal of establishing the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning and quality of life.

Utilizing knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the treatment of complex physical or mental illness.

Perform assessments and evaluations, treatment plans, case management and SUD treatment, and interventions for early assistance in treating relapse in homeless Veterans with SUD and co-occurring disorder histories.

Skilled in administering structured interviews and assessments with a wide variety of patient populations, particularly Homeless Veteran populations with SUD who are also Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI) Veterans, Women Veterans, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF/ OIF) Veterans, elderly Veterans and /or Veterans with families.

Establish, implement, and maintain referral and screening procedures for potential SSVF veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs.

Conduct and participate in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments, and referrals for homeless veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and "on the streets" with the Homeless Program Teams.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm 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: Ad-Hoc telework may be approved.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 94265-0/94266-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized