This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

Duties will vary based on grade. At the GS-11 full performance level of this assignment, the incumbent provides outreach services in remote areas of North Idaho, NW Montana, and Northeast Washington, to the local community and at Stand Down events in rural and remote areas. Duties will include: Provides direct outreach services to areas where homeless persons congregate; including the street, remote campsites, homeless camps under the freeway most of which are often not suitable for human habitat. Regularly conducts and participates in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and "on the streets," as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. Maintains current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate, represents VA at community service provider meetings. Interviews the Veteran and/or their family members to establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health. Evaluates each Veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and priority for admission. Based on the psychosocial assessment, the incumbent uses professional judgment and practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Develops psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the Veteran and/or their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment. Using known resources, the incumbent makes initial and continuing decisions coordinating the Veteran's care through linking and referral to VA medical facilities or Regional Offices and other VA and non-VA services and provides independent consultation and makes recommendation to the interdisciplinary team on course of action. Effectively provides case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, clinical training, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options and recognize potential high-risk factors, acuity, and needs for services. Provides direct mental health services for Veterans and family members or significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment. Assists Veterans in problem solving, evaluation and logical alternatives. Maintains treatment plans based on clinical assessment for each Veteran which are reviewed when updates are needed. Makes routine visits to each Veteran in their residence to assess their environment and provide on-going clinical services. Demonstrates acceptance, interest, and encouragement and includes the Veteran in the individual's course of treatment and utilizes methods and techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that recognizes the value of the Veteran's input in his or her care. Assists Veterans in maintaining appointments at VA medical centers and other community agencies for medical, psychiatric, substance abuse, vocational and other services consistent with Veteran's goals associated with healthful independent living. Refers Veterans to appropriate VA and other government/community services-including local shelters, food banks, employment services, veteran's benefits, and social security applications. Assists Veterans who encounter problems obtaining services from the VA and other service delivery agencies through advocacy, linking, and/or by assisting with their problem solving/social interaction skills. Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs and consults with other specialists in planning treatment for Veterans with co-morbidities. Implements the Housing First model within the Homeless Program. Provides referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. Generates the initial HOMES documentation which tracks homeless Veterans and services they receive while assigned to care. Explains Veteran's treatment and progress to third parties as appropriate and manages the quality control and evaluation of the professional services provided. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 08:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not 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. A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. 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. 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-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. 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. TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED 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. Preferred Experience: Experience with homeless programs and outreach. References: VHA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39, Qualifications for Social Workers. 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-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: light and moderate lifting and carrying (up to 44 lbs), use of fingers, operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle, ability to see computer screen and use of computer and mouse, hearing (aid may be permitted), working closely with others, working alone, driving, ability to be outside and inside, slippery or uneven walking surfaces.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript with confer date 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 Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4815 North Assembly Street Spokane, WA 99205 US
• Name: Hector Jebulan
• Phone: (253) 582-8440 X75538
• Email: [email protected]