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.
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: Be a citizen of the Unites States. 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 tohttp://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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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: Social Worker, GS-9 (Entry Level) (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members. (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. Social Worker, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (1) 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 (2) 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. (3) 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. Preferred Experience: Mental Health experience preferred. Reference: Former VA Handbook Reference: Part II Appendix G39 Effective Date 9/10/2019. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Social Worker (SW) will provide service to the Veteran population enrolled at the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) Mental Health (MH) Service Line, Intensive Outpatient Program on the East Campus. The SW will be assigned to the Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) Program. The SW plays an integral member of the multidisciplinary team providing MH services to patients in SUDs team. The SW performs specialized treatment(s) in the screening, assessment, and intervention. Social Worker major duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to: Screening/Assessment/Treatment Planning/Goal Setting/Department Specific Functions: Coordinates and/or conducts screening of Veterans for appropriateness of the SUDS program. Conducts triage, intervention, education and consultative services regarding a wide range of mental and behavioral health concerns. Interviews and conducts the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and/or biopsychosocial assessments to establish veteran's treatment needs, presenting problems, and provide a clinical impression. Interprets and explains VA's treatment following the completion of the Addiction Severity Index whereby levels of services are determined. Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Develops a treatment plan with the veteran based on this assessment. Schedules timely treatment planning reviews whereby goals, progress, clinical adaptations can be made. Engages in advance care planning and goals of care conversations. Provides psychoeducation and clinical feedback regarding symptoms of the mental health condition to patients served. Provides individual and group therapy to Veterans with SUD. Provides psychoeducational and skill-building groups for veterans, group cohorts, and/or veterans' families. Provides wellness and prevention education and facilitates Veteran/family support groups as appropriate. Engages patient and family education, engage client advocacy, engage mandatory reporting (abuse, neglect, or exploitation), engage suicide assessment, crisis intervention, and safety planning. Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. Serves as liaison for CAVHCS Mental Health and Behavior Medicine in providing mental health services to CBOC patients. Acts as an advocate when appropriate and feasible while encouraging the veteran and family to advocate on their own behalf thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Ensures appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. Referral to Service Providers: Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs. Educates the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assists them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. Resource Usage/Development: Utilizes the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of veterans. Administrative responsibilities: Attends all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, Social Work staff meetings, MHC staff meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) and performs other duties as required. Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as endorsed by supervisors. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm 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 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 59835F, 59836F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized