Social Worker

Summary

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
• Language: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• Education: You must 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: You must have a current and active license or are certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• 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-11: Specialized Experience: Experience or Education - You must possess 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)
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing social work case management
• acting as an advocate with community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity - in collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams
• maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals
• OR Possess a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work GS-11 Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience or education for the GS-11 level - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities
• 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 - 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee OccupationalHealth Services.

Duties

• This position is approved for the Education Debt Reduction Program (ERDP) which will pay up to $200 -000 in qualifying student loans over a term of five years! This position is located at the Williamsport - PA VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)
• The Social Worker in this position in Mental Health & Behavioral Medicine Service is responsible for the provision of case management - individual and group therapy - clinical treatment - crisis intervention - advocacy - discharge planning - and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies - as needed by the client
• This is accomplished in collaboration with members of their inpatient mental health treatment teams and other interdisciplinary treatment team members - as appropriate
• Major Duties and Responsibilities: The Social Worker will develop an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the veteran - and family members/significant others - whenever possible Responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran - family members/significant others and other WBVAMC clinical staff Responsible for delivery of psychotherapy interventions within the outpatient behavioral health clinic - to include evaluation - treatment plan - mental health crisis intervention - progress and recovery oriented discharges Delivery of evidence/measurement based services with successful completion of VA or Community Psychotherapy Certified Trainings Throughout the course of treatment - the Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources Responsible for using the current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of veterans Understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran and family members/significant others Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans
• The Social Worker has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis
• Provides education related to VA and community resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans and families/significant others to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs Responsible for the coordination of the referrals of non-institutional services such as HBPC - ADHC/CADHC - home hospice and skilled and non-skilled homecare services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members Provide the veterans and identified family with ongoing supportive counseling as directed by Veteran Preference Enter all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates Effectively communicates with and utilizes community agencies to facilitate treatment - discharge planning - and continuity of care The employee's relationship with supervisors - co-workers - patients - visitors - and the general public is consistently courteous and cooperative in nature - and overall contributes to the effective operation of the case management program Other related duties as assigned Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday to Friday - 8am to 430pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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