Summary

The incumbent provides mental health/substance abuse services to the Veteran population enrolled at the Salem VA Health Care System. Services include provision of high-quality case management - individual and group psychotherapy - clinical treatment - crisis intervention - advocacy - coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies - needed by the client. This is in collaboration with members of the Social Worker's mental health/substance abuse treatment teams

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
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid 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 (1) Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements (2) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• (e) 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
• (3) [Entry Level] Assignments
• Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level 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 program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Duties may include but are not limited to: 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 appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity - in collaboration with the Veteran - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams
• maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals
• Since social workers at this level 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 Social Worker - GS-11 (1) 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• OR (2) 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
• (3) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
• (c) 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
• (d) 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 (e) 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 Full Performance Level] Assignments
• This is the full performance level
• Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work
• Incumbents are assigned to all program areas - including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine - surgery - mental health - neurology - rehabilitation medicine - and geriatrics
• Employees provide professional - independent social work services in the assigned area
• Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies - handbooks or directives
• and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members - identifying the Veteran's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• In collaboration with the Veteran - family/caregiver - and interdisciplinary treatment team - the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services
• The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors - conducts assessment and provides specific interventions
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services

Duties

• DUTIES: GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-0185 Social Work series and is used for Social Workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level
• The incumbent is responsible to arrange ongoing supervision for licensure qualification and must pass the licensure exam within the specified time frame to maintain his/her position with the Salem VAMC
• Incumbent is a professional social worker providing mental health/substance abuse services at the Salem VA HCS assigned to the Social Work Service
• The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans referred for mental health and substance abuse services
• The incumbent completes thorough psychosocial assessments and diagnostic interviews as part of the consult process when the Veteran is initially referred for mental health or substance abuse services
• Other social work services include short-term - solution focused counseling and/or psychotherapy with individuals and families who may be in crisis - supportive counseling - and referral for resources and benefits
• Must have the ability to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans engaged with mental health or substance abuse services and/or their families
• The incumbent is able to work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical - psychiatric - emotional - behavioral - and psychosocial problems Must possess knowledge of how to implement treatment modalities - provide psychotherapy - counseling - and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families within the scope of their licensure
• Utilizes VA approved - evidence-based treatment modalities as appropriate The social worker will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats - templates and encounter procedures
• Information is required to be entered and completed within 72 hours of the Veteran's appointment
• This information will be entered in a complete - confidential - and professional manner to ensure information on the Veteran is shared with other VA staff
• Individuals assigned as GS-11 Social Workers are at the full performance level
• A GS-11 social worker has a master's degree in Social Work granted by a graduate program fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and maintains a license
• Mental Health/Substance abuse Social Workers are aligned under Social Work Service and will be utilized as needed in a variety of mental health programs - such as - Acute Inpatient Psychiatry (170) - Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery (ICMHR) - Mental Health Clinic (MHC) - Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) - Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATP) - and Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP) - in order to meet the needs of the service and to provide high quality care to Veterans with a variety of Mental Health conditions Incumbent is a professional social worker providing mental health/substance abuse services at the Salem VA HCS assigned to the Social Work Service
• The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans referred for mental health and substance abuse services
• The incumbent completes thorough psychosocial assessments and diagnostic interviews as part of the consult process when the Veteran is initially referred for mental health or substance abuse services
• Completes thorough psychosocial assessments and diagnostic interviews to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families
• The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable
• Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: ADHOC Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU