The social worker provides case management to Veterans assigned to the Community Residential Care (CRC) program. The social worker serves as the primary contact and liaison for Veterans directly assigned to them for care in CRC homes. The social worker is responsible for having working knowledge of all Veterans participating in the CRC program so that cross-coverage can be provided whenever required.

Duties

RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES MAY BE AUTHORIZED FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Psychosocial Assessment - Completes psychosocial assessments using Mental Health Suite software in accordance with CRC program Stardard Operation Procedure (SOP). The assessments must reflect a high level of skill in gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and documenting data that is pertinent and directly related to patient health care planning, treatment, education and case management. Case Management - The social worker will function as case manager for Veterans in the CRC program performing duties to facilitate successful placement by coordinating mental health and community care. The social worker will also communicate with the CRC Sponsors in order to provide oversight of continuity of care/healthcare appointments. The social worker reports any identified deficiencies of the home to the CRC program manager for investigation. CRC Consults: - The social worker will respond to consults as determined by the program coordinator by utilizing a screening tool and other measurement devices while assessing the Veteran's emotional, functional, and psychological condition. The social worker may present the findings to the CRC team to determine rejection or acceptance into the program. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The social worker is responsible for contributing to the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family in collaboration with the CRC interdisciplinary treatment team members. The social worker will include psychosocial problems in the treatment plan and will attend interdisciplinary care planning meetings. Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment, the social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for additional resources in support of the Veteran's recovery. Advocacy - The social worker will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family. When appropriate and feasible, social worker will educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate for themselves, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. The CRC social worker assists all CRC sponsors in supporting resident rights and assuring Veteran residents are treated with respect, dignity, and consideration, etc. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework: Ad-Hoc may be available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92173-0 and 92174-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. 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. Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision: 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). All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. Additional details outlined below. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. ? 7403(f). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-09: Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, 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. Social Worker, 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-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 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. 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 work comprises both sedentary and physical components, such as walking long distances, lifting, carrying or moving small weighted objects. The work may require using appropriate technique to physically restrain clients who present a danger to self or others. Specific vision abilities required by this job include, but are not limited to, close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Employee is required to be able to pass a physical examination clearing them to be able to drive a government vehicle and carry the designation of incidental driver.

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 Chillicothe VA Medical Center 17273 State Route 104 Chillicothe, OH 45601 US
• Name: Emily Chain Smith
• Phone: 740-253-9967
• Email: [email protected]