This position is organizationally aligned under Primary Care (2086) at the Captain James Lovell Federal Healthcare Facility (FHCC), North Chicago, IL - a Level 1c Complexity VHA Facility. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Social Worker for Transition and Care Management (TCM). The Social Worker will manage a caseload of TCM Veterans.

Duties

Functions of Assigned Duties Clinical Functions: The incumbent is a professional Social Worker whose duties and responsibilities relate to the care management of severely ill and/or injured Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New Dawn (ONO) Service Members and Veterans treated at the FHCC. The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the psychosocial problems of OEF/OIF/OND Service Members and/or Veterans as they transition to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care. Care management responsibilities also include providing supportive services to families. The Social Worker will assist OEF/OIF/OND Service Members and/or Veterans in coping with acute illness, chronic illness, combat stress, the residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), community adjustment, addictions, and other health and mental health problems. The Social Worker will addresses home care needs, homelessness, and transition across levels and sites of care. They will provided case management services that include psychosocial assessment and treatment, that is focused on assisting Service Members, Veterans and their families. The Social Worker will use social work process (psychosocial assessment and treatment) in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to develop a care management plan and psychosocial interventions. The Social Worker will serve as a member of the health care team, participate fully in developing, planning, implementing and evaluating the interdisciplinary treatment plan, including provision of care management services. The Social Worker will coordinate care with the interdisciplinary team to promote continuity for OEF/OIF /ONO Service Members and/or Veterans and their families. The Social Worker will make provide resources and referrals for individual, group, marital and family treatment services. Administrative Functions: The Social Worker is responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility. The Social Worker may serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN, and/or VA Central Office levels. The Social Worker may participate in the orientation, training, and teaching of Social Work Graduate Students and other trainees and staff. They may also conducts and/or participates in research and/or program evaluation as appropriate. The Social Worker will keep the supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. The Social Worker is responsible for furthering own professional growth through education, appropriate to area of assignment, and providing coverage during Social Worker absences. The Social Worker must maintain a level of productivity and quality consistent with facility and Social Work standards and the complexity of the assignment. The Social Worker will participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, appropriate facility meetings, and Social Work meetings. Shares knowledge and experiences gained from own clinical practice and education relevant to the field of Social work. The Social Worker must comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program and safety policies and procedures. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized Telework: May be available 1-2 days per pay period Travel: Up to 25% may be required. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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 G39The 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-9 to GS-11.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript or 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 Captain James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center 3001 Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL 60064 US
• Name: Kristina Ilich
• Phone: 1-447-792-8151
• Email: [email protected]