Social Worker

Full Job Description

The Social Worker is assigned to the North Battlefield Outpatient Clinic located in Chesapeake, Virginia within the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC).

This position is aligned under the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program (PCMHI) and Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) Hub, which is administratively aligned under the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Line.

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 - You must be a citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C.

7403(f) Education and/or Experience Combination - You must possess 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.

Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.

License or Certification* - You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

*Exception - For assignments at the GS-9 level, VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations.

VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker.

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 Social Worker, GS-0185-9, Qualifications - GS-09 Social Worker Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Ability to effectively manage suicidal crises through advanced risk assessment, de-escalation techniques, and the application of crisis intervention skills.

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.

Social Worker, GS-0185-11, Qualifications - GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11, you must possess 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.

Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience.

Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members.

In collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams, identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity.

Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals.

-OR- 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 to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Ability to effectively manage suicidal crises through advanced risk assessment, de-escalation techniques, and the application of crisis intervention skills.

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.

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: This social work position includes a level of physicality normally associated with direct patient care duties performed by social workers. The work is primarily non-strenuous.

Examples may include but are not limited to: long periods of walking and standing, ability to lift 5-10 pounds, and the ability to sit for 1-2 hours while doing substantial computer work.

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that require normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Major Duties:

The Social Worker will deliver case management services, which will encompass: psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment implementation, demonstrating a high level of expertise in evaluating and addressing the needs of Veterans facing a range of psychiatric, medical, and psychosocial issues.

Direct contacts are provided to Veterans and their families. The frequency of these interactions may rise during crisis situations.

Major duties include but not limited to: Provides immediate access to clinical assessment and appropriate collaborative care and treatment for those experiencing mental health symptoms or behavioral health issues.

Provides individual and group interventions to support patients that are coping with health psychology presentations (e.g., sleep, pain, adherence to medical regimen, adjustment to illness), psychosocial stressors, grief or phase of life difficulties (e.g., discrimination, stress management, coping with loss, transition to civilian life), and mild-moderate mental health presentations.

Practices collaborative, stepped and measurement-based care, including appropriate longitudinal follow-up, to address common mental health and behavioral health conditions for the primary care population.

Functions successfully as a member of a multidisciplinary team of medical and mental health providers and provides consultation about mental health diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans to professionals representing a variety of disciplines.

Other duties as assigned.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.

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: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized