Social Worker

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.

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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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 4 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.
  • 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 (within 3 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: . In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Social Worker, 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:

• 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, educational, and other 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, 8 medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals.

Full Performance Level Assignments: This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work.

Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of outpatient, mental health experience; experience in case management.

Reference: 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.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Responsibilities:

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

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Social Worker is assigned as a member of the CBOC Mental Health Services at the WNC VA Health Care System in Franklin, NC. The Social Worker provides Veterans in the Charles George VA Medical Center Community Based Outpatient Clinic with high quality, clinical treatment consisting of individual and group psychotherapy. These services also include case management, advocacy, and coordination with appropriate VA and community service providers / agencies as needed by the client.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• The social worker will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others, whenever possible.
• It is the responsibility of the social worker, working within the interdisciplinary treatment team, to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on this assessment.
• Social worker will provide the Veteran with individual and group psychotherapy uniquely tailored to meet the needs of the Veteran.
• The social worker is responsible for developing the treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members.
• The social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for non-institutional, institutional services/programs and entitlements.
• The social worker is responsible for developing a resource file of VA and community social service programs and will refer the Veteran to needed services.
• The social worker is responsible for making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans to maintain patient in the home, for admission to acute, short term and/or long term placements.
• Social worker will provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veteran/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.
• Social worker is responsible for the coordination of the referrals of non-institutional services such as ADHC/CADHC, inpatient hospice, home hospice, skilled and nonskilled homecare services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members.
• The social worker is also responsible for the coordination of the referrals of institutional placements in Adult Homes, Assisted Living Programs, CNH or VA-CLC.
• The social worker will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates.
• Social worker will participate in activities that obtain feedback from Veterans and work to enhance services as needed.
• Other duties assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
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 Contact Mr Onnie Green, 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)
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: AD-HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $417