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 Major Duties: The Social Worker is responsible for the management, coordination and provision of social work services to veterans and their families in primary care. The Social Worker collaborates with the primary care team to focus on health promotion, prevention and management of chronic disease. The Social Worker conducts assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members and treats psychosocial and environmental factors that impact the patient's ability to achieve maximum health and wellness. Incumbent is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines and participates in team huddles as a member of the interdisciplinary team. Social Worker reviews options with patient and family and is responsible for ensuring that a treatment plan is based on the patient's identified concerns and goals are established. The Social Worker acts as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. The incumbent assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death. Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with JCAHO, VA and medical center policy and procedures. The social worker participates in committee assignments, discipline specific meetings and initiatives, as deemed necessary by the service manager. May participate in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends. The incumbent provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes individual, family and group counseling, case management, discharge planning, and other services as appropriate. Performs other duties as assigned. Assessment- As part of the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Case Manager possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to independently complete a psychosocial assessment as required in the Social Work Service Line documentation policy. The psychosocial assessment occurs through interviews with the veteran, family members/significant others and/or other service providers whenever possible and with the veteran's permission. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veterans' strengths, psychosocial/ service needs, treatment goals and possible barriers to treatment/goals. The psychosocial assessment is part of the overall team assessment of the veteran, which forms the basis of a comprehensive treatment plan. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The Case Manager, in collaboration with the veteran, veteran 's family members/significant others, and other treatment team members, participates in developing an interdisciplinary treatment plan for veterans. The resulting treatment plan is developed within the time frames designated by the program. Ongoing re-assessments and updates of the treatment plans are completed as necessary due to the changing needs of the veteran, accomplishments of preliminary goals and/or development of new goals, and improvement of mental health status. Documentation -The Case Manager documents the veteran 's progress as well as any services provided via electronic progress notes. The Case Manager documents veteran contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Referral to Service Providers - Throughout the course of treatment, the Case Manager links veterans to services, both within and outside of the VA, based on need and eligibility. The Case Manager collaborates with other service providers in re-assessing veterans' needs for reintegration into the community. The Case Manager develops and maintains an appropriate resource file of VA and community programs/services. Advocacy- The Case Manager acts as an advocate for veterans within the hospital system, wider VA, and community services whenever necessary. Interdisciplinary Collaboration - The Case Manager participates with other members of the treatment team in attending weekly treatment team meetings, rounds, community meetings, family conferences and other endeavors as needed and appropriate to the role of social work. Administrative Responsibilities - The Case Manager attends all administrative and programmatic meetings. He/she may perform other duties as assigned by the Chief of Social Work Service, CSS Manager and HUDVASH Coordinator when needed and appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.am - 4:30 p.m. Compressed/Flexible:Not Avaliable Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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: Citizenship: Must Be a US Citizen 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/. 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: Creditable Experience: The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience: Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. GS-9 Requirements 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 Requirements: 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 Please make sure the KSA's are demonstrated in your resume. Full Performance Level Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses 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/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 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.Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.

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 E Van Zandt VA Medical Center 2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard Altoona, PA 16602 US
• Name: Tianna Miller
• Phone: 404-680-6127
• Email: [email protected]