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

Screening/Assessment The social worker will develop an assessment of the Veteran under close supervision of an independent or advanced practice licensed social worker and in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, and, whenever possible, family members and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports, and service needs to optimize the Veteran status and safely maintain the Veteran in his/her home. The assessment will include a home visit. It is the responsibility of the social worker, working with the social work clinical supervisor and within the interdisciplinary treatment team, to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on this assessment. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting Responsible for developing the social work treatment plan and setting achievable and measurable treatment goals with the Veteran and/or family in collaboration with the HBPC interdisciplinary treatment team members and under the close guidance of the social work clinical supervisor. Social workers will address the unique needs of homebound, frail, disabling/chronic, and/or dying Veterans. Social workers will identify and address needs, determine treatment plans, and collaboratively set goals with Veterans with mental illness, substance abuse issues, and psychosocial challenges. Provision of Mental Health Assessment/Services in the Home HBPC social workers will provide treatment planning for mental illness and psychosocial challenges which includes diagnosis, individual psychotherapy, and supportive counseling to be provided in the Veteran under the close supervision of an independent or advanced practice licensed social worker. Education/Health Promotion and Prevention Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans and/or families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Coordination of Non-Institutional and Institutional Services Responsible for the coordination of the referrals to non-institutional HCBS programs in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members and under the supervision of the social worker clinical supervisor. The social worker is also responsible for the coordination of the referrals of institutional placements in Adult Homes, Assisted Living Programs, CNH, or VA-CLC. This includes reviewing the progress notes from and/or conferring with other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for non-institutional and institutional alternatives. The social worker will educate the Veteran, their families/significant others/support system, and the team of options available to them and will collaborate with the Veteran and family/support system/significant others on their preferred option. Supportive Counseling Provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling under the close supervision of an independent or advanced practice licensed social worker. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/disabling illness(es), onset of a catastrophic illness and/or dying, and need for non-institutional or institutional services as needed during the Administrative Responsibilities The social worker will enter all Veteran and/or family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. This information will be reviewed on a regular basis and the social work clinical supervisor will co-sign all notes. The social worker will establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers, and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attend all meetings (regularly scheduled interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, monthly HBPC Mental Health Team Meetings), as well as other mandatory meetings as announced, and perform other duties as required by the HBPC program. The social worker will collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30 - 4:00 PM or 8:00 - 4:30 PM Telework: Yes Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Travel: Occasional travel required; must possess a valid drivers license and be able to operate a government owned vehicle

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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (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. 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. 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 at VA. 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). (1) 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. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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 1) 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. 2) 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. 3) In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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: Must have valid driver's license, proof of insurance, and ability to drive **APPLICANTS MUST DRIVE ** Home care experience referred Inter disciplinary team experience preferred AHA basic Life Support Certification required 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. 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

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 VA Portland Health Care System 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239 US
• Name: Artan Hoxha
• Phone: 5032208262 X58486
• Email: [email protected]