This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
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. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. b. 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. c. Licensure. 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/. 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.] (a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, 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. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. (c) Different states have different levels of licensure or certification, making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level. Each state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice. Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services, and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social worker's level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards. All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB. Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/. The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work. ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work. The ASWB offers three examinations. The master's examination is generally used by states for the independent practice level of licensure or certification, while the advanced generalist and the clinical examinations are used for the advanced practice level of licensure or certification. Differences between the master's and the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers will have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application. (2) Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. (3) Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. d. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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-09 Experience/Education. 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: (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 [Entry Level] Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level 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 program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Since social workers at this level 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.
The incumbent provides veterans in the outpatient Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program (ADTP), located at the Jamaica Plain Division of VA Boston Healthcare System, with high quality individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and case management. The incumbent may also provide psychotherapeutic services for veterans in the Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP), if requested. This incumbent will be able to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team of addiction treatment providers. Effective communication is essential for this position. Screening / Assessment: The social worker will develop a psychosocial assessment of the veteran, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others (when available). The goal of the assessment is to determine the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports. The assessment will also cover identification of the veteran's need for additional services in order to optimize this veteran's functional status and safely maintain the veteran on an outpatient level. This assessment will include a special focus on substance use disorders and as well as common psychiatric comorbidities followed by the formulation of a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses all of the veteran's identified needs. The social worker will be able to diagnose using the DSM 5 for each veteran assessed. Treatment Planning /Goal Setting: The social worker may be responsible for developing the treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran. The social work will include dangerousness/risk, psychiatric, substance abuse, and psychosocial problems onto the interdisciplinary treatment plan. This social worker will review this treatment plan with the veteran and the members of the interdisciplinary team. Ongoing assessment and updating treatment plans are done according to program policy. Referral to Service Providers: The social worker will help the veteran access services that are pertinent to his or her individual psychotherapy treatment goals. This social worker will refer to other providers if requested by the veteran at any time in the treatment process. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs for inpatient, outpatient, residential, or community based programs. The social worker is responsible for educating the veteran of the available services, identifying contacts, and/or making the appropriate referrals for this veteran. Resource Development: The social worker is responsible for maintaining a resource file of VA and community social service programs and will refer the resident to needed services, as needed. Advocacy: The social worker will act as an advocate to assist veteran in a variety of contexts when it serves the best interest of the resident. When appropriate and feasible, the social worker will educate and encourage the resident to advocate on their own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Crisis Intervention: The social worker is experienced in making risk assessments, developing individualized crisis management plans in order to maintain the veteran's physical and mental health. The social worker will understand the protocol for addressing risk within ADTP. The social worker will work to deescalate a situation before a crisis occurs. The social worker will also be responsible for maintaining Basic Life Support (First Aid and CPR) at all times. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Functional Statement #: F04583, F04584 EDRP Authorized: Contact Karen.Chapman@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required