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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Social Worker (Primary Care Mental Health Integration) Near Indianapolis, IN

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.
• 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. Indiana requires Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
  • 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 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

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 (Graduate)
Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate, in their resume, all of the following Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

• Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• 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)
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 nonVA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.
OR
Additional 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. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate, in their resume, all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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: expertise in evidence-based psychotherapy

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39

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.

Physical Requirements: The work of the social worker is community based with moderate physical activity. The incumbent must be able to operate a government vehicle several hours each day, walk up to a mile at a time, climb 2 to 3 flights of stairs at a time, and lift small objects . The incumbent must be capable of using a computer given all clinical charting is electronic.

Responsibilities:

Screening/Assessment

• functional assessments based on 20-30-minute appointments and triage/referral to specialty care services as appropriate. Routine, brief assessments (e.g., PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT C, etc.) as available in Behavioral Health Laboratory Software (BHL - Web, Touch, or other iterations) or Mental Health Assistant (MHA).

Treatment Planning/Goal Setting

• From screening/assessment information, the PCMHI Social Worker develops appropriate treatment goals in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the PACT. PCMHI works with the PCP's treatment plan and is not expected to write independent treatment plans that may be seen in other sections within Psychiatry Service.

Referral to service providers

• Maintains knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services when appropriate. Triaging appropriately and efficiently to specialty mental health services. Available for same-day warm-handoffs of PACT patients through open access.

Resource Usage/Development

• Maintains a professional knowledge of the theories, principles and values of social work required to develop and maintain social work programs in assigned areas. Maintains state of the art capabilities in systems of service delivery to individuals, families, and groups. Exercises judgment; program planning, development, and implementation; identifies problems and the need for policy changes and program direction that should be brought to the attention of the section Program Coordinator.

Advocacy

• Participates in multi-disciplinary conferences in assigned areas. Assists Veterans and families in obtaining medical, financial, and social resources in the community that will enhance the Veteran's recovery and/or adjustments. Assesses the Veteran's and family's need for an advocate and acts on the patient and family's behalf when needed. PCMHI Social Workers must be willing to address barriers to service with and for Veterans using a broad range of psychosocial theories and principles and specific to social work values.

Crisis Intervention

• The PCMHI Social Worker will assess and intervene in crises presented by the Veteran and/or family and participate in developing crisis management and safety plans to minimize the event of future crises. PCMHI Social Workers are expected to perform risk assessments whenever the potential for self-harm is suspected, to provide information on available safety resources, and to evaluate the Veteran's ability to access necessary resources and supports. As necessary, PCMHI Social Workers are also expected to initiate intake procedures for inpatient psychiatry whenever it is deemed necessary for the Veteran's safety or for the safety of others (i.e., ED, A&R, voluntary or involuntary admission, etc.). PCMHI Social Workers assess for suicidality and potential for self-harm at every individual encounter.

Education/Health promotion and prevention

• The PCMHI Social Worker will provide education to Veterans with incomplete or erroneous understanding of their mental illness and consults with physicians and other members of the clinical staff regarding patient needs in this area.

Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services

• The PCMHI Social Worker establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

Work Schedule: Full Time
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 91993A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary