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.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This is an INTERNAL job announcement open to current, permanent Veterans Health Administration employees assigned to the Ft. Harrison facility or it's associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics, CBOCs ONLY.
Duties
Social Worker duties include, but are not limited to the following:
Coordinates & provides case management for Veterans in the Community Living Center
Care management responsibilities include case management, care coordination & social work provisions & supportive services for Veterans &/or their families
Is a member of multiple interdisciplinary teams & is primarily responsible for assessment & completion of psychosocial assessments & completion of psychosocial portion of interdisciplinary care plans & Minimum Data Set (MDS)
Participates in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, cultural transformation actions & resident-centered care planning
Interviews Clients & Conducts Psychosocial Assessments to establish facts about Veteran's situation, presenting problems, causes & problem impacts on Veteran's functioning & health as part of the comprehensive psychosocial assessment
Interprets & explains VA's treatment & benefit programs
Reviews subjective & objective data & makes clinical assessments that identify needs & strengths
Uses clinical training skills, objectivity, insight & experience to interpret data & identify viable treatment options
Assesses high risk factors, acuity & service needs
Serves Veterans who may have frequent &/or severe crises, lack family or adequate community support networks, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply w/ instructions & treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills & require continuing professional psychosocial support
Makes Psychosocial Diagnoses
Independently evaluates client's situation, including Veteran's reaction & ability to cope & arrives at a reasonable conclusion
Uses professional judgment & practices skills to make psychosocial diagnoses
Assesses at-risk factors & develops preliminary disposition plans involving Veterans & families or significant others
Plans Effective Treatment
Develops psychosocial treatment plans w/ interdisciplinary team members; including psychosocial clinical treatment goals
Makes initial & continuing decisions for using VA /non-VA services & referrals
Implements Treatment
Provides clinical services for Veterans & family members/significant others
Provides individual/group counseling services; including psychotherapy
Organizes community services for beneficiaries; develops/coordinates services
Maintains current referral resource network
Evaluates, Educates, Supervises, Coaches &/or Mentors
Establishes relationship w/ Veteran; evaluates progress towards meeting goals & adjusts treatment plan as needed
Maintains comprehensive documentation
Manages quality control & evaluates professional services provided
Participates educational activities, completes unit based in-services, & mandatory educational activities in a self-directed manner by deadlines
Demonstrates positive, effective communication skills & professional behavior that promote cooperation & teamwork
Practices good customer customer service & demonstrates VA I-CARE values
Participates in unit-based quality of care performance improvement activities, unit based performance improvement measures & results
Identifies problem areas by practicing evidence-based practices on unit
Perform other duties as assigned
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf
Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Relocation Incentive (Reassignment-sign on Bonus): May be Authorized for the highly qualified applicant
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Michael Warner at michael.warner3@va.gov, 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)
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 telework may be available for the highly qualified applicant
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PDGS-9-436-58832-O, GS-11-436-58833-O
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Qualifications
Persons that haven't completed educational/certification/licensure requirements may be referred & tentatively selected but can't be hired until all requirements are met
Basic Requirements
- Citizen Must be US citizen; non-citizens may be appointed if not able to recruit qualified US citizens
- English Language Proficiency Applicants must be able to speak/write in English
- Education Have a master's degree in social work from social work school fully accredited by Council on Social Work Education CSWE Graduates of social work schools in candidacy status don't meet this requirement until School of Social Work is fully accredited. Doctoral degrees in social work can't be substituted for masters degree in social work. Visit http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify social work degrees meet accreditation standards.
Licensure. Persons hired/reassigned to social worker GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed/certified by states to independently practice social work at master's degree level. For info on current state requirements go to http://vaww.va.gov/ORHM//T38Hybrids
Exception. VHA may waive licensure/certification requirements for persons who are otherwise qualified pending state prerequisites for licensure/certification examination completion. Exception only applies for GS-9 grades. Candidates must be licensed/certified for GS-11 grade & above. Supervisor, chief social work/social work executive provides unlicensed/uncertified social worker w/ written requirements for licensure/certification, including deadline license/certification must be obtained by & consequences for not meeting deadline when appointed. VHA social workers appointed to GS-9 who aren't licensed/certified when appointed must become licensed/certified at independent, master's level w/in 3 years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require 2 years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking licensure/certification exam. VHA gives social workers 1 extra year to pass licensure/certification exam. Social workers must become licensed at independent, master's level w/in 1 year of meeting full state prerequisites for licensure in states, e.g. California, Washington, etc. where prerequisites for licensure exceed 2 years. Social workers who doesn't have a license to allow independent practice must be supervised by licensed independent practitioners of the same discipline who's a VA staff member & who has access to electronic health records Different states have different levels of licensure/certification, making it difficult for VHA staff to determine independent practice levels. Each state, Puerto Rico & the District of Columbia complete surveys identifying licensure/certification levels allowing independent practice. Copies of the surveys are on file in VHA Office of Care Management & Social Work Services & a summary spreadsheet of licensure/certification levels is available to social work professional standards board members to determine if a social worker's licensure/certification levels meet VHA qualification standards. All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by ASWB; https://www.aswb.org/. ASWB is association of boards that regulates social work. ASWB develops & maintains social work licensing examinations used across US & is a central resource for information on social work legal regulations. ASWB offers 3 examinations: master's examination is generally used by states for independent licensure/certification practice levels, advanced generalist & clinical examinations are used for advanced licensure/certification practice levels. Differences between the master's & the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application.
Failure to Obtain License/Certification. All Social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure/certification starting from appointment date. Failure to become licensed/certified w/in prescribed time limits results in removal from GS-0185 social worker series & may result in employment termination.
Loss of Licensure/Certification. Once licensed/certified, social workers must maintain full, valid & unrestricted independent license/certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure/certification will result in removal from GS-0185 social worker series & may result in employment termination.
Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining grade of candidates in addition to basic requirements for employment.
GS-9
Experience, Education & Licensure. None beyond basic requirements
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities, KSAs. Candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs in addition to above experience.
1) Ability to work w/ Veterans & family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational & other diversified backgrounds using counseling skills
2) Ability to assess psychosocial functioning & Veterans & their family members' needs & to formulate/implement a treatment plan, identifying Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills & assistance needed
3) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working w/ individuals, families & groups to achieve treatment goals. Requires judgment/skill using supportive, problem solving/crisis intervention techniques
4) Ability to establish/maintain effective working relationships & communicate w/ clients, staff & community agency representatives
5) Medical & mental health diagnoses, disabilities & treatment procedures fundamental knowledge: including acute, chronic & traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications/their effects/side effects & medical terminology
GS-11
Experience & Licensure Appointment to GS-11 grade level requires completion of minimum of 1 year of post-MSW experience equivalent to GS-9 grade in health care field or other social work-related settings, VA/non-VA experience & licensure/certification in a state at the independent practice level
NOTE For appointment licensure /certification at this level please refer to license information found under Basic Requirements section above
OR
Education 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
AND
In addition to the GS-11 experience above, candidates must demonstrate the following KSAs.
1) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community & other governmental agencies for services & ability to coordinate services
2) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments & treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational & diversified backgrounds
3) Medical/mental health diagnoses knowledge, disabilities & treatment procedures, e.g. acute, chronic & traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications/their effects/side effects & medical terminology to formulate treatment plans
4) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working w/ individuals, families & groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical & social problems to achieve treatment goals
5) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students & other staff about patients' psychosocial needs & impact of psychosocial problems on health care & compliance w/ treatment
Preferred Experience: Social Work experience in a residential or medical facility.
References: VA Handbook 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39
Qualifications continued in Additional Information section.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must include your name, the school's entire name, can be unofficial transcripts, must have the name of the course, date course taken, grade received for the course, amount of credits earned for the course, date degree conferred, (if applicable), (name of degree received, (if applicable).
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, or any information in your resume or any attachments you provide. We will not make assumptions regarding any information provided regarding your experience on your resume or any information contained in your application materials. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU USE THE FEDERAL RESUME BUILDER ON USA JOBS AS IT PROMPTS YOU TO ADD REQUIRED INFOMATION NEEDED TO DETERMINATION ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. CV or Resume: Resume must include how to contact you, descriptions of jobs held including the employer's/company's AND supervisor's name and phone number, job title, detailed description of job duties, beginning and ending date, (month and year) of employment, and average hours worked per week. (Required to upload copy of document).
2. SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (Current and former federal employees) must submit your latest SF-50 showing your current grade, step and salary. (NOTE: Award SF-50 are normally not acceptable due to the grade step and salary missing.) (Required to be uploaded).
3. Copy of Transcripts - Can be official or unofficial. (Required to be uploaded, transcripts must include the following information: your name, the school's entire name, course names, course dates attended, course grades, credit amounts earned per course, date degree conferred, & name of degree received). (Required to be uploaded, and must be submitted).
4. If applicable, please upload a copy of your current valid Social Worker license AND your initial Social Worker license to determine eligibility, even if expired. (Required to be uploaded if using it to qualify for position).
5. If applicable, please upload a copy of current Basic Life Support card, BLS, (Request card be uploaded with application materials).
6. VA Form 10-2850C VA Form 10-2850c an be found at: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-2850c-fill.pdf.(Not required to upload document but if selected will be required to complete it.) PAGE 3 AND 4 REQUIRED TO BE SIGNED. PLEASE FILL OUT ALL BOXES, AND ENTRIES, IF DOESN'T APPY, ENTER "N/A".
7.Optional cover letter (Not required, but desired).The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
- Cover Letter
- If applicable, please upload a copy of your current valid Social Worker license AND your initial Social Worker license to determine eligibility, even if expired. (Required to be uploaded if using it to qualify for position).
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on 07/08/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12449840.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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