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

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Within the El Paso VA Healthcare clinic setting and in the field at local community hospitals; the Senior Social Worker position for the CO-ED High-Risk Program is designed to meet the needs of high-risk Veterans who require case management to prevent hospitalization and to coordinate care. The overall objective of the program is to assist the Veteran/caregiver in managing the disease(s) process, coordinating care and maintaining and/or improving health. The CO-ED High Risk Program Senior Social Worker has specific knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses including, new and/or chronic diseases), as well as insight into the needs of and services required for this vulnerable population. The CO-ED High Risk Program Senior Social Worker performs clinical case management in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team to meet the biological, psychological, social and environment needs of Veterans. The CO-ED High Risk Program Senior Social Worker: Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs. Independently conducts psychosocial assessments. Assists in the development of treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Offers psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions. Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs. Visits community in-patient facilities, establishing rapport with admitted, high risk patients that have been identified and authorized for admission by the El Paso VAHCS. Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services. Incumbent provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. Conducts medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures and medical terminology. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families. Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan. Evaluate self-practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means. Incumbent can communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Maintains general knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, non-service-connected pension. Facilitates referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility. Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (Veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the consumer constructively and appropriately. Has working knowledge and skill in the use of word-processing, data management and other computer systems, especially those programs in use by VHA. Independently provides an array of social work interventions including: high-risk screening, psychosocial assessment, coordination of care, resource education and referral, case management, advocacy, monitoring/evaluating and counseling to include disease adjustment or other behavioral related health issues impacting the disease process and health. Has extensive knowledge in clinical case management. Provides consultation and guidance to colleagues. Demonstrates and role models effective social work practice skills. Teaches or provides orientation to less experienced social workers, develops innovations in practice interventions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:45 PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator at [email protected] for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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/. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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 meet this requirement through the Grandfathering Provision Preferred Experience: GS-12 3-4 years Social Work experience 2 years Case Management experience Excellent communication skills Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade level. Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience and Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned Senior Social Worker must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. (d) Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. (e) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area Physical Requirements: There are no set physical requirements for this position. Use of eyes, hands, walking/standing and hearing may be needed to perform some functions. Mental, emotional, and cognitive stability are required. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39, September 10, 2019 The grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

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.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Note: If your school was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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.

Contacts

• Address El Paso VA Clinic 5001 North Piedras Street El Paso, TX 79930 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]