The Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Social Worker practices evidenced-based care to treat depression, PTSD and alcohol use/misuse.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Incumbent provides problem-focused, solution oriented, and patient-centered treatment of stress, anxiety; feelings of depression, irritability, and sleep difficulty among others. PCMHI is integrated with the facility so it is critical the incumbent be based at the CBOC to provide administrative and clinical support for any Veteran walk-ins; assistance and education to other staff and providers, to interface and collaborate with other programs and services; and to best support the agency's mission by supporting timely, in person response to needs of those at or presenting to the facility. **If you are NOT a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply to CBST-12033938-23-GJ The social worker provides social work service in the Mental Health setting at a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). **Primary duties include, but are not limited to: Completes thorough psychosocial assessments, providing therapeutic services, assisting with discharge planning, making community and VA referrals. Engaging in activites to ensure the safety of Veteran to include those tasks necessary to prevent suicide, and participating as an interdisciplinary treatment team member. The Mental Health Social Worker provides evidenced-based care to treat a wide variety of DSM-5 diagnoses. Incumbent provides problem-focused, solution oriented, and patient-centered treatment of PTSD, depression, insomnia, anxiety, other chronic mental illness and psychosocial stressors, among others. Mental health social work is integrated with the facility so it is critical the incumbent be based at the CBOC to provide administrative and clinical support for any Veteran walkins. Provides assistance and education to other staff and providers, to interface and collaborate with other programs and services; and to best support the agency's mission by supporting timely, in person response to needs of those at or presenting to the facility. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families. Incumbent is able to work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problems solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups, and families in accordance with license. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 502-00415-F, 502-00416-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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: Candidates 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. 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 Master 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/. 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-09 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified at the independent level. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the social worker with the written requirements for independent 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. For appointments at the GS-09 grade level, VHA social workers who are not independently 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 as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. 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-09: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). 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-09 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, 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Preferred Experience: Experience working with a interdisciplinary team Experience working with person with mental health diagnoses Experience managing crisis 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: The position will require a moderate level of keyboarding , standing (up to 4 hours), walking (up to 4 hours), repeated bending (1 hour), and moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, operation of motor vehicle, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13' to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, 20/40 in each eye with or without correction, depth perception, hearing (aid permitted). The work environment involves everyday risks requiring normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, or other hospital and/or clinic areas. The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Alexandria VA Medical Center 2495 Shreveport Highway Pineville, LA 71360 US
• Name: Grace Jackson
• Email: [email protected]