Social Worker - Health Care for Homeless Veterans Referral Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (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 appointment.

Program 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.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.

(Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). English Language Proficiency.

Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

(COPY OF TRANSCRIPT WITH CONFERRED DATE REQUIRED) Licensure/Certification.

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/. (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED FOR GS-11) 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 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (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 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-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

OR, Education.

In addition to meeting 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.

(COPY OF TRANSCRIPT WITH CONFERRED DATE REQUIRED) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (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.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Knowledge of community resources and experience working with mental health issues.

REFERENCE: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/. 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: Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds), use of fingers, and operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle.

Environmental factors include outside & inside, slippery or uneven walking surfaces, working around moving objects or vehicles, working closely with others, and working alone. Major Duties:

Respond to all incoming referrals for the various homeless programs.

Gather information regarding the Veteran's clinical background and referral needs and facilitate assessment times and/or additional referrals to appropriate services within the facility or to external partners.

Facilitate utilization of resources by assessing eligibility and making referrals to a variety of VA resources and community agencies for assistance with social, emotional, financial, and physical problems.

Provide assistance as needed with applications for benefits or negotiating service systems.

Coordinate placements in therapeutic housing and other placement options including domiciliaries, state soldier's homes, and community residential alternatives.

Coordinate interest lists for all Homeless programs, routinely reviewing them for program prioritization according to individual program requirements.

Respond to the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) hotline referrals within appropriate timeframes.

Provide a variety of assessment, psychotherapeutic, and training services within the Homeless program.

Make professional evaluations, decisions and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation.

Define patient/family problems and maintain an effective counseling relationship using advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process.

Establish treatment goals through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidenced-based practices and screening/assessment.

Provide a variety of direct psychological treatment services addressing the complex psychosocial issues faced by the Veteran patients served in the Homeless program.

These direct services include, but are not limited to: intake assessment, treatment plan development and implementation, treatment interventions (such as individual, family, marital, or small group therapy, trauma, case management, education, advocacy), and support group development and leadership.

Provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress.

Use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions and demonstrate sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills.

Develop and deliver psycho-education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration.

Fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices.

Provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation.

Provide training opportunities and either direct or indirect supervision of graduate LPMHC students or other related human services students as directed by Chief, SWS, and the Homeless Program Manager.

Record clinical information in the patient's electronic medical record according to prescribed standards, and collecting and maintaining required statistical information.

Participate in community or field activities in a variety of situations to better coordinate care resources for Veterans.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630 Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized