The clinical and program activities assumed under this position are conducted as part of the Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program. The HBPC Social Worker is a core member of the HBPC interdisciplinary team. The primary responsibilities of this position are to provide comprehensive clinical assessments. This position requires visits to be conducted in the community with the use of government vehicles which requires the social worker to complete drivers physical clearance.
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. 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. 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/ 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: GS9: 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 utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors. (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. GS11: 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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, educational, and other 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 9 to 11. Physical Requirements: . See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services
DUTIES: GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-0185 Social Work series and is used for Social Workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Screening/Assessment: Perform comprehensive initial clinical assessments and follow-up assessments when clinically indicated, or at minimum annually, to determine the psychosocial needs and functioning of the patient, caregiver, and their support systems. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: Incumbent is responsible for identifying psychosocial issues impacting the patient/caregiver's ability to achieve optimal outcomes and implementing interventions to address psychosocial needs and support patient driven goals of care. With this information, the incumbent develops a psychosocial plan of care which may include individual/family counseling, long-term and advance care planning, non-pharmacological pain interventions, stress management, caregiver respite, psycho-educational programs, as well as grief and bereavement counseling. Incumbent is also responsible to participate in in the development of the individual plan of care at interdisciplinary care meetings for assigned panel of patients. Referral to Service Providers: Incumbent is responsible for providing referrals to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. If appropriate, the social worker will provide referrals or consults, and in some cases facilitate direct admission of a Veteran to other VA programs including, but not limited to Community Residential Care, Adult Day Health Care, Respite, Community Health Care Coordination, Hospice, Home Based Primary Care, Telehealth, and the Community Nursing Home programs. GS11: HBPC is a VA home care program that provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary, primary care in the homes of Veterans with serious medical, social, and behavioral conditions for whom routine clinic-based care is not effective or may not be possible. Screening/Assessment: Perform comprehensive initial clinical assessments and follow-up assessments when clinically indicated, or at minimum annually, to determine the psychosocial needs and functioning of the patient, caregiver, and their support systems. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: Incumbent is responsible for identifying psychosocial issues impacting the patient/caregiver's ability to achieve optimal outcomes and implementing interventions to address psychosocial needs and support patient driven goals of care. With this information, the incumbent develops a psychosocial plan of care which may include individual/family counseling, long-term and advance care planning, non-pharmacological pain interventions, stress management, caregiver respite, psycho-educational programs, as well as grief and bereavement counseling. Incumbent is also responsible to participate in in the development of the individual plan of care at interdisciplinary care meetings for assigned panel of patients. Resource Usage/Development: The social worker demonstrates knowledge of VA and community resources related to the needs of the Veteran, family, and/or caregiver. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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: ADHOC Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w