The incumbent is a professional social worker assigned to the Knoxville Outpatient Clinic (OPC) whose primary focus is to provide medical social work services to eligible veterans as a means of assisting them to meet biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs. The veterans served have needs that are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem-solving.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following: Identify behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Provide education on advance directives and advanced care planning. Provide social work case management and act as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregivers. Assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams. Maintain a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Actively participate in the treatment planning process with other disciplines when appropriate. Provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits. Address advance directives and organ donation in accordance with the standards of their work area. Provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling. Serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. Assist Veteran with their discharge planning from community hospitals and nursing homes, which will include an assessment of their IADLs as well as their ADLs. Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with JCAHO, VA and medical center policy and procedures. Assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death. Document social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:45-4:30 or similar Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:60138F 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. Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) Must hold 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. Must be currently licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level 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, you must be licensed or certified. 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-09 Social Worker (Entry Level): Applicants at the GS-09 grade level 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 addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09 you must demonstrate all of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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 Social Worker (Full Performance Level): In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11 you must have completed 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 must possess licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR 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. AND In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11 you must demonstrate all of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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: N/A References: VA Handbook 5005 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: Must be able to meet the physical requirements outlined in VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 James H Quillen VA Medical Center Corner of Lamont Street and Veterans Way Mountain Home, TN 37684 US
• Name: Rekha Shastry
• Phone: 360-450-8391
• Email: [email protected]