The clinical and program activities assumed under this position are conducted as part of the Mental Health Case Management (MHCM) program. MHCM is a joint project of the Social Work and Mental Health Services and is administered locally under the direction of the Social Work Team Leader who will work cooperatively with both the MHCM Program Manager and/or the Mental Health Supervisor.

Duties

The goal of MHCM is to develop, implement, and assess the benefit of a behaviorally-oriented program of psychosocial rehabilitation, case management, and community-based treatment for chronic mentally ill veterans. Specialized treatment services are provided in various community settings, including the day program, residential care homes, contract nursing homes, and various other community locations. Work is done in the context of an interdisciplinary treatment team, and extensive liaison activities with other interdisciplinary teams are required to provide continuity of care for assigned veterans in outpatient settings. Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties: A. Provide intensive case management services to assigned veterans and significant others, consistent with the goals and methods of MHCM and the VA Mental Health Initiative and with all relevant Medical Center policies and procedures. case management services are characterized by assertive outreach, individualized treatment planning, multidimensional orientation, and intensive delivery of services. 1) Frequent, direct contacts with patients to provide therapy and support. Frequency of contacts is increased in times of crisis. 2) Flexibility of veteran contact (veterans are seen in any location and with any MHCM team clinician who can provide assistance). 3) A focus on strengthening the patient's ability to address acute and chronic problems. 4) Use of naturalistic community settings for teaching and modeling problem-solving skills. 5) Provision of continuity of care within the framework established by MHCM. For example, collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams and programs to promote and enhance the care of patients. 6) Outreach and assertive provision of services to treatment resistant patients. 7) Mobilization of environmental and organizational supports, including family members, professional, and other interested parties. For example, undertakes individual, family and group therapies as well as educational programs for veterans, families and staff. Also responsible for linking patients to other VA programs and to community resources. B. Participate in team staffing regarding patient selection, determination of treatment plans and goals, progress evaluation, discharge planning, and after care. C. Work assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs, treatment plans, and case management services for assigned patients. Works assertively to promote appropriate treatment, rehabilitation, and expeditious discharge of assigned patients, consistent with program goals and with the individual treatment plans. D. Is actively involved in readmission decisions, using the procedures established for this purpose. E. Completes clinical documentation according to MHCM and Medical Center standards; this includes but is not limited to progress notes, clinical progress reports, the Treatment Planning Review Form, and the Re-hospitalization Review Form. S(he) will be responsible for completion of required clinical records as well as MHCM forms for evaluation and monitoring of service delivery and outcome for the MHCM forms for evaluating and monitoring of service delivery and outcome for the MHCM Unit Manager, Outpatient Clinic and staff at Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). Work Schedule: Monday-Friday ; 7:45am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Authorized Telework: Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91382-A 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. 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/. 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.] 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 work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (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. 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. 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve active listening, reading, observing and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior, walking, speaking, documenting, and using office equipment such as computers, telephones, fax machines, and photocopy machines.

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 Northern Indiana HCS 1700 East 38th Street Marion, IN 46953 US
• Name: Andrea Bower
• Phone: 765-617-2998
• Email: [email protected]