The Syracuse VAMC is recruiting for one Social Worker for the Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery (ICMHR); Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) and Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) programs aligned under the Mental Health ICC. The ICMHR Social Worker performs social work duties specifically directed toward Veterans and their families with a severe and persistent mental illness who have had frequent or long-term hospitalizations.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major Duties: Provides intensive case management services to assigned Veterans and significant others, consistent with the goals and methods of the ICMHR Program. Intensive case management services includes: frequent, direct contacts with Veterans to provide therapy and support with the goal of symptom reduction, increased contact frequency in times of crisis, flexible Veteran contact, and focusing on strengthening the Veteran's ability to address acute and chronic problems independently. Provides care within the framework established by National ICMHR Directives and collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams to promote and enhance Veteran care. May also provide individual/family psychotherapy and group therapy as applicable. Maintains a strong working relationship with community agencies and could include; local psychiatric units and discharge planners, SROs, and other VA providers and VA facilities. Completes psychosocial assessments, initial treatment plans, updated treatment plans and discharge summaries as clinically indicated. He/she collects and submits program participant data, as outlined by the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). Continually stays aware of National ICMHR Directives by participating in ICMHR conference calls and attends training offered by the ICMHR Team. Follow all local policies and procedures. This includes following policies and documentation requirements as required for CARF and Joint Commission accreditation. Participates in program planning and development, advises the supervisor of trends with caseloads, identifies needs for program procedure or policy changes and makes recommendations Documents Social Work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record and ensures appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. 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. Coordinates treatment and communicates with the other services to facilitate care of Veterans. 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. Participates in committee assignments, discipline specific meetings and initiatives, as deemed necessary by the service manager. Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends. May provide supervision to a Social Work Intern or be generally involved with the MSW training program. Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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. 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/. 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. 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: (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. 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- II-G39-6 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: (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. 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-9 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 Syracuse VA Medical Center 800 Irving Ave Syracuse, NY 13210 US
• Name: Rebekka Fandrey
• Phone: 0000000000
• Email: [email protected]