Incumbent is a Clinical Social Worker assigned to VA Northern Indiana Health Care System's Primary Care and Mental Health Clinics. The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of veterans. Social Work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems, often at a time when the veteran is experiencing crisis.

Duties

Referrals typically originate from members of the interdisciplinary team, from veterans and/or their family members/significant others coming as walk-ins to seek assistance, and from community professionals. The incumbent must complete thorough assessments to determine the presenting problem to determine in-home factors impacting the problem and to determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments. Consultation with members of the outpatient interdisciplinary team is provided in order to coordinate a collaborative effort to meet the agreed upon goals for the veteran's treatment needs and include liaison with community professionals regarding needed services for veterans and/or their families. Working with various patient populations include, but are not limited to, homeless veterans, Hospice Services, Community Living Center, Home Health services, financial resources, VA benefits, and transportation services. A. Screening/Assessment a. Completes an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to identify needs and formulate a plan to meet those needs. b. Demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions. c. Has an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric veteran and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this veteran population. d. Working within the interdisciplinary treatment team, shares in the development of a treatment plan with the veteran based on this assessment. B. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting a. Works closely with the veteran to develop a mutually agreed upon treatment plan, which will build on the analysis of information gathered in the assessment and the strengths and perceived barriers identified by the veteran. b. Works with the veteran to develop goals and objectives that are specific, measurable, realistic and time limited. c. Documents contacts via progress notes entered in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). C. Clinical Treatment a. Has a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in and/or their families. b. Is able to independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. c. Possesses a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. d. Possesses knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families. e. Possesses and demonstrates ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible:Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91271-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/. 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-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]