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 The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention, health promotion, coordination and chronic disease management. The social worker in this Veteran-Centric approach often functions as a care coordinator with a panel of Veterans to ensure that health care meets the needs, as defined by the Veteran. Duties include, but are not limited to: -The incumbent has the primary responsibility is to assist PACT Veterans to navigate care, facilitate access and follow-up with the PACT team and ensure appropriate care is being provided. This dedicated team member also serves as the liaison with community agencies and providers. -Within the PACT model, the social worker will complete assessments via phone, VVC or face to face. -The incumbent will provide case management to Veterans with high Care Assessment Need (CAN) scores or other complex needs. -The incumbent uses clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives. -The incumbent will comply with STVHCS policy related to acting as a mandated reporter in cases involving suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Incumbent will assess, document, and report identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence. -The incumbent will establish and maintain professional interactions and relationships with stakeholders both within the VA and the Community. -The incumbent will serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and/or VISN level and/or in the community. -The incumbent has knowledge of the PACT team approach and the role of each health and allied health care team members, as well as an understanding of the role of the social worker in the PACT model. -The incumbent facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families, as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner. -The incumbent serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. -The incumbent provides education to Veterans and families in regards to My HealtheVET, whole health program and Community Care options. -The incumbent provides consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment. -The incumbent has knowledge of and can educate Veterans regarding benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies. -The incumbent utilizes and promotes group, individual and phone education to complete Advance Care Planning (ACP) in the PACT clinic. -The incumbent is responsive to consults within established time frames and actively works to meet Veteran's psychosocial needs through face to face, phone or telehealth appointments. -The incumbent educates Veterans on the use of VVC clinics effectively. -The incumbent follows STVHCS standard operating procedures for evaluating and mitigating suicide risk to include: Completes the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale (C-SSRS) annually or more often as indicated, the Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation, and a Safety Plan via shared template in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) on all patients at intake, with Veterans with suicidal ideation and on any Veteran whose record is flagged "High Risk for Suicide." Additionally, completes the Suicide Behavior and Overdose Report (SBOR) as clinically indicated. -The incumbent will independently assess the needs of a Veteran and family to create a psychosocial assessment and plan of care for Veteran. -The incumbent has the ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means. -Position will include telework, coverage for outpatient clinics and unassigned Veterans. This position may be assigned to cover clinics within the STVHCS and be required to work at location of clinics during coverage. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm, or 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available 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 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. 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-09: Education, Licensure, and Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's: (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: Education, Licensure, and Experience: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, an 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. 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 (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSA's: (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: GS-09: 1. Fully licensed at a Master's level. 2. Former VA Trainee. 3. Prior experience in similar role or with population served GS-11: 1. EBP Certification 2. Prior experience in similar role or with population served 3. Clinical supervision certification 4. Quality or utilization management experience 5. Former VA Trainee 6. Licensed to practice at independent practice level References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 II-G39-1 APPENDIX G39. SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185 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: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers Both hands required ;Walking (6 hours); Standing (6 hours); Repeated bending (2-4 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Emotional and Mental Stability; Sit for extended periods; Performs Independently: Cognitive Stability

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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

Note: Effective January 1, 2007, the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree programs in audiology or hearing science.

Note: If your school was accredited by at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed by either ACAE or the CAA in ASHA, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

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 Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]