Social Worker

Summary

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.

Qualifications

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
• Language: 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 reviewed in CSWE website to verify the Social Work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Masters of Social Work
• Licensure
• Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice Social Work at the Master's Degree level Grade Determinations: Social Worker GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• 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
• Social Worker 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 - (VA or non-VA experience) 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified 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
• Physical Requirement: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required - as is performing activities involving sitting - walking - and standing - bending and carrying such items as books - papers - and files
• In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans - their families - representatives of the community
• The incumbent must possess current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary 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.

Duties

• 30 Day Hiring Model The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a streamlined 30-Day Hiring Model designed to accelerate hiring while maintaining the highest standards of merit-based selection
• This improved process reduces traditional hiring timelines by integrating early coordination - faster assessments - and efficient pre-employment actions
• Applicants can expect a more transparent - predictable - and efficient hiring journey from announcement to entry on duty
• What Applicants Can Expect Expedited Candidate Review Once the announcement closes - Human Resources will quickly review applications - issue certificates of eligible candidates the day after the announcement closes and refer applicants for hiring manager consideration
• Quick Interviews & References HR may arrange interviews and will request references within 3-5 days after being referred to the hiring manager
• Streamlined Pre-Employment Requirements: Following a tentative offer - applicants should be prepared to complete required steps - such as fingerprinting and background check - credentialing - and medical examination within 3 days of the offer
• Clear and Timely Communication: Applicants will receive clear communication at key milestones - including referral - tentative offer - and onboarding instructions
• After meeting pre-employment requirements - candidates will receive a final job offer and start date
• Onboarding tasks may continue after starting - with HR ensuring timely completion for a smooth transition into VA service
• If selected - applicants should be prepared to come onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing
• VA Careers - Social Work: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Knowledge - skills - duties and responsibilities include - but are not limited to: Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families
• Independently works with Veterans and their families experiencing a wide range of complicated medical - psychiatric - emotional - behavioral - and psychosocial problems
• Independently completes thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the mental health diagnosis - psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families
• Must be able to utilize this assessment in developing and implementing a comprehensive treatment plan for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable
• Demonstrates knowledge and experience in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their side effects - and medical terminology
• Independently conducts psychosocial assessments of high risk patients to identify suicidality through use of the Suicide Risk Assessment (SRA) and other appropriate tools
• Actively participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team through collaboration with Veterans and family - in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions
• Facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0700-1530 Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized 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 Contact [email protected] - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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: Available on an Ad-Hoc basis
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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