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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Social Worker-Community Living Center Near Saint Cloud, MN

Qualifications:

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: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• Education Requirement:
• Master of Social Work: Applicants must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Note: 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.
• OR
• Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
• Licensure Requirement:
• Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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.
• OR
• Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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 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.
• OR
• Grandfathering Provision: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

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

GS-9
None beyond the basic requirements. 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
5. 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.

GS-11
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
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:

1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G39

Preferred Experience: Short stay rehab, fast-paced environment with admissions and discharge planning.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of the evaluation or examination.

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-9 to GS-11.

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

The incumbent is assigned to the Extended Care and Rehabilitation Service Line. The incumbent provides comprehensive social work services to Veterans and their families. Responsibilities include the management, coordination and provision of social work services to residents and their families in the CLC setting.

The incumbent is responsible for completing the following duties/responsibilities:
1. The incumbent will provide orientation to new residents of the CLC, communicating with Veterans and family members/significant others the
purpose of CLC, expected length of stay and goals for discharge on admission to the CLC.
2. The incumbent will conduct biopsychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members.
3. The incumbent is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
4. The incumbent will facilitate the Long Term Care Co-Pay process with the Veteran and family members.
5. The incumbent will participate in discharge planning with other disciplines, and Veterans and family members to the least restrictive environment through shared decision making, and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate.
6. The incumbent will provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, and VA services and benefits.
7. The incumbent will act as a consultant to other team/staff members.
8. The incumbent will act as liaison between VA and community resources.
9. The incumbent will provide case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.
10. The incumbent will provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case management, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, vulnerable adult reporting, and other services as appropriate.
11. The incumbent will provide psychosocial treatment to assist Veterans and family members with psychosocial concerns. This may include financial, legal, housing, and other issues that can impact on health and functioning. It also includes helping Veterans cope with new diagnoses, declining functioning, limitations on functioning, and death. Guiding principles are to promote health and wellness and move care forward for the well-being of the Veteran.
12. The incumbent will assist Veterans with crisis situations as required.
13. The incumbent will serve as the CLC contact person with family members and significant others, and will coordinate family conferences and meetings and address family issues that impact the Veteran's health and functioning.
14. The incumbent will serve as an advocate for residents with facility staff and treatment team members, and will help other team members understand the Veteran's perspective, life situation, coping mechanisms, and psychosocial problems.
15. The incumbent will assist Veterans address advance care planning and end-of-life issues, including advance directives, living wills, pain management, dying and the transition to palliative and hospice care.
16. The incumbent will provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate resident/family support groups as appropriate.
17. The incumbent will as appropriate, supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker.
18. The incumbent will coordinate treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for veterans.
19. The incumbent will participate in various Service Line or health care system workgroups, committees, and/or councils to represent and contribute social work expertise as assigned.
20. The incumbent will maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, VA and health care system policy and procedures.
21. The incumbent will document all social work interventions and activities in the resident's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring patient care. This independent documentation includes the initial biopsychosocial assessment, periodic reassessments (at least quarterly or as changes in the resident's condition occur), review of progress towards problem resolution and treatment goals/outcomes, regular progress notes and a closing or discharge summary. Actively participate in completing designated section or sections for the Minimum Data Set.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4pm or 8am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary