Social Worker
Independently provide and/or coordinate therapeutic/clinical activities to include clinical assessment, individual, group, collateral family counseling/therapy, and psychoeducational sessions at the medical center and/or CBOC and/or community as assigned. Document all services using the CPRS computer program system, consistent with all applicable JCAHO, VA and medical center policies and procedures. Practice from within the frameworks of the Recovery and Harm Reduction models. Uses Motivational Interviewing skills to engage ambivalent veterans into supportive treatment based on client goals of either Harm Reduction or sobriety. When appropriate, uses Contingency Management to reinforce client goal of sustaining sobriety in times of transition. Meet with individual clients and their families in counseling, as appropriate. Works with HUD-VASH Case Management team for referral services to VA and community services to resolve problems, as appropriate. Use professional skills routinely to motivate dysfunctional clients to resume more effective control of their own life. Employ therapeutic methods and techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that will help the client work towards the best way of dealing with his/her problems. Work with treatment and HUD-VASH case management team to develop comprehensive substance use disorder components of Housing Stability Plans incorporating patient strengths and weaknesses and the pertinent problems identified in assessment. Provides support to the general mission of the HUD-VASH program, including functions related to interdisciplinary staff coverage, addressing urgent and crisis patient events/situations, and assisting in the training functions of the program, as assigned and consistent with professional skills, training and experience. Document such activities as consistent with all applicable Medical Center policies and procedures. Serves as a resource to professional colleagues and stakeholders in the community. The incumbent may also serve as a resource for within Medical Center staff concerning addiction and its treatment. Initiates consultation requests to appropriate ancillary services to ensure that the patient's current needs are met from a holistic perspective. Undertakes other clinical assessment and treatment as assigned. Participates in QI activities pertaining to the program to which assigned, as directed by the director of the program as well as by the PCL. Participates with other HUD-VASH staff in focus work groups, committees and related service improvement endeavors as directed. Attends interdisciplinary staff meetings and reviews the progress of the patients engaged in SUD services with the SUD specialist. As requested by supervisor, assists in training other staff in intervention techniques and participates in staff-education efforts. Undertakes other administrative tasks as assigned. Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday 8am - 4:
30pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. English language proficiency:
Must be proficient in spoken and written English Education:
Must 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 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 the CSWE website to verify if degree meets accreditation standards for a master of social work. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Licensure:
Persons hired or reassigned to Social Work positions (within the GS-0185 job series in VHA) must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. (COPIES OF LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION PACKET) 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). Preferred
Experience:
2 years of full-time experience providing individual and group services to adults with substance use disorder, mental health issues, or dual diagnosis (both mental health and substance use). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Grade Determinations:
GS-9 Social Worker Experience, Education and Licensure:
GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-185 social work series. Social workers at the GS-9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification. VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the independent level at the time of their appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. At the GS-9 level, candidates 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. Assignments:
At the GS-09, 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. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Specialized Experience for GS-11:
Requires a minimum of one year of post-MSW degree professional social work experience in the field of health care. This experience must have been in a clinical setting and must have demonstrated the potential to perform advanced assignments independently. (A clinical setting is a medical center, clinic - medical or psychiatric, residential treatment center, or any other type of facility where social work participates in a collaborative treatment and is identified with the medical profession.) Experience must have been obtained AFTER earning a Master's Degree in Social Work. 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:
(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. SUBSTITUTING EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-11 LEVEL:
To meet the required specialized experience for the GS-11 level, applicant may substitute a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work. You must submit a transcript to receive credit for this education. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. References:
VA Handbook 5005/23, Part II, Appendix G39, SOCIAL WORKER, available in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 11 Physical Requirements:
Physical Requirements:
Must pass a DOT physical to be considered for this position. Walking (2-4 hours); Standing (2-4 hours); Repeated bending (1-2 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13' to 16 to jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hear (aid permitted); Emotional stability; Contagious disease; Working closely with others.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
Monday-Friday 8am - 4:
30pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. English language proficiency:
Must be proficient in spoken and written English Education:
Must 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 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 the CSWE website to verify if degree meets accreditation standards for a master of social work. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Licensure:
Persons hired or reassigned to Social Work positions (within the GS-0185 job series in VHA) must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. (COPIES OF LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION PACKET) 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). Preferred
Experience:
2 years of full-time experience providing individual and group services to adults with substance use disorder, mental health issues, or dual diagnosis (both mental health and substance use). Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Grade Determinations:
GS-9 Social Worker Experience, Education and Licensure:
GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-185 social work series. Social workers at the GS-9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification. VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the independent level at the time of their appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. At the GS-9 level, candidates 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. Assignments:
At the GS-09, 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. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Specialized Experience for GS-11:
Requires a minimum of one year of post-MSW degree professional social work experience in the field of health care. This experience must have been in a clinical setting and must have demonstrated the potential to perform advanced assignments independently. (A clinical setting is a medical center, clinic - medical or psychiatric, residential treatment center, or any other type of facility where social work participates in a collaborative treatment and is identified with the medical profession.) Experience must have been obtained AFTER earning a Master's Degree in Social Work. 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:
(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. SUBSTITUTING EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-11 LEVEL:
To meet the required specialized experience for the GS-11 level, applicant may substitute a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work. You must submit a transcript to receive credit for this education. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. References:
VA Handbook 5005/23, Part II, Appendix G39, SOCIAL WORKER, available in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 11 Physical Requirements:
Physical Requirements:
Must pass a DOT physical to be considered for this position. Walking (2-4 hours); Standing (2-4 hours); Repeated bending (1-2 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13' to 16 to jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hear (aid permitted); Emotional stability; Contagious disease; Working closely with others.
- Department:
0185 Social Work - Salary Range:
$57,508 to $90,451 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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