The incumbent is a social worker and serves in full time capacity within the Mental Health Service (MHS) at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, including affiliated community based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). The Social Worker will work as a member of the Veterans Community Resource & Referral Center (VCRRC) team.
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. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. 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 up to the full performance level. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Regulations. Grade Determinations (GS-9), Entry Level Experience, Education and Licensure. GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Social workers at the GS-9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification. Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 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 VHA program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Since these social workers 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. Grade Determinations (GS-11, Full Performance Level Experience, Education and Licensure. GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of I year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR, In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Assignments. This is the full performance level for social workers. GS-11 social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. They are assigned to all program areas, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS9 or GS11 level. Preferred Experience: Experience in assessment evaluation and crisis intervention in a high volume service. Experience in working with diverse populations including homeless/indigenous, mentally ill and substance abuse. Experience with grassroot outreach and community organization. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Lifting and carrying light objects under 15 pounds, walking for up to two hours. Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination, corrective vision, hearing with or without aid, depth perception and ability to distinguish basic colors and emotional and mental stability.
The incumbent provides case management interventions, at times at an advanced level, used in the treatment of Veterans who present for services at the VCRRC. Incumbent educates/links Veterans and/or their caregivers about/with appropriate VA and community resources to address their needs. The incumbent serves as a champion for National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) providing crisis intervention to homeless hotline calls. The social worker provides patient and caregiver education, both in individual and group formats. The incumbent provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint. The incumbent conducts outreach into the community to provide services to homeless shelters, soup kitchens and other agencies serving the homeless. Assess the need for referral for more intensive and/or specialty mental health services. Independently identifies high -risk patients and connects with needed resources and services, as needed. Provides health promotion and prevention education to Veterans and their families for information on VA and community resources. Performs psychosocial assessments/acuity scales as appropriate. Provides brief mental health and behavioral interventions as appropriate. Incumbent completes comprehensive Veteran-centered, recovery-focused treatment plans and updates as appropriate/required. Completes clinical reminders, outpatient homeless consults, and discharge plans. Consults, collaborates, and coordinates with other staff who provide care to Veteran, including active participation in treatment planning and discharge planning. Liaisons/advocates on behalf of the VCRRC and/or Veteran between settings of care, both internal and external to the VA and links and refers the Veterans to VA resources and community agencies as appropriate. Monitors the efficiency, effectiveness, timelines, quality of services offered within the program area. Utilizes HMIS as appropriate. The incumbent actively participates in Continuum of Care (CoC) and By Name List (BNL) meetings. Reviews relevant data, , assessed the data, develops, and implement ideas for improvement. Provided cross coverage for Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program as needed. Actively participates in program planning and development, advising the supervisor of shifting trends with caseloads and identifying the need for and making recommendations on program procedure or policy changes based upon work experiences. Works to improve professional skills, participates in planning and executing specific staff development projects, attends seminars and institutes, and participates in training programs of other disciplines as requested. Clinically supervises the practice of students, interns, or less experienced case managers. Serves as social work champion for treatment planning, discharge planning, and psychosocial and psychotherapeutic needs. Adheres to all standards and requirements as set forth by Joint Commission and CARF as well as Medical Center, and Mental Health Service policies and procedures. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Ad hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 919410/919420 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized