The incumbent is a professional social worker assigned as a Social Work Case Manager in the Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery (ICMHR) program. Primary responsibilities are to provide intensive case management services, consistent with the goals and methods of Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM)- Enhanced Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (E-RANGE). The E-RANGE program provides community-based services to Veterans within a 70 mile radius of Raleigh, NC.

Duties

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The incumbent is a professional social worker assigned as a Social Work Case Manager in the Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery (ICMHR) program. The social worker's primary responsibilities are to provide intensive case management services under supervision of a licensed clinical social worker to assigned veterans, consistent with the goals and methods of Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM)- Enhanced Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (E-RANGE), and the VA Mental Health Initiative and with all relevant Durham VA Health Care System (DVAHCS) policies and procedures. MHICM/E-RANGE is administered locally under the Mental and Behavioral Health Service Line. The goal of MHICM/E-RANGE is to provide psychosocial rehabilitation, intensive case management, and community-based treatment for veterans who have been diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness (SMI).. Specialized treatment services are provided in various community settings, including the patients' homes, residential care homes, contract nursing homes, and various other community locations. Work is done in the context of an interdisciplinary treatment team, and extensive liaison activities with other interdisciplinary teams are required to provide continuity of care for assigned veterans in outpatient settings. FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES Assertive outreach, individualized treatment planning, multidimensional orientation, and intensive delivery of services characterize intensive case management services, as follows: - Frequent, direct contacts with patients to provide therapy and support. Frequency of contacts is increased in times of crisis. - Flexibility of veteran contact (veterans are seen in any location and with any MHICM/E-RANGE team clinician who can provide assistance). - A focus on strengthening the patient's ability to address acute and chronic problems. - Use of naturalistic community settings for teaching and modeling problem-solving skills. - Provision of continuity of care within the framework established by MHICM/E RANGE. For example, collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams and programs to promote and enhance the care of patients. - Outreach and assertive provision of services to Veterans with SMI. Participates in team staffing regarding patient selection, determination of treatment plans and goals, progress evaluation, discharge planning, and after care. Effectively communicates with and utilizes other disciplines (e.g., nursing, medicine) to facilitate treatment planning and implementation. Participates effectively in team meetings, treatment planning conferences, etc. Collaborates with multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care. Completes clinical documentation according to MHICM/E-RANGE and Medical Center standards; this includes but is not limited to progress notes, clinical progress reports, psychosocial assessments and recovery plans. Incumbent will be responsible for completion of required clinical records as well as MHICM/E-RANGE forms for evaluation and monitoring of service delivery through the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). Works assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs, treatment plans, and case management services for assigned patients. Works assertively to promote appropriate treatment, rehabilitation, and expeditious discharge of assigned patients, consistent with program goals and with the individual treatment plans. Works with other clinical programs and services that share in the care of assigned MHICM/E-RANGE patients. In pursuit of programmatic and treatment goals, maintain effective working relationships with other professional and administrative personnel both within DVAHCS and in the community. Meets with VA, community, and professional organizations and individuals as needed to carry out assigned developmental and implementation responsibilities. This includes but is not limited to representing the program by screening veteran for participation in any aspects of the program. CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS Meets the needs of customers while supporting the VHA, VISN, facility, and service missions and business plans. Respects diversity, and consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, students, facility staff, community representatives) in a courteous, tactful respectful, and fair manner. Work Schedule: 0800-1630 M-F Telework: Ad-Hoc Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). b. 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 Master of Social Work. c. 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.] Preferred Experience: Experience in MH case management References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 September 10, 2019 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 GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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. (3) [Entry Level] Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing 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; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. b. 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR (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) 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. (4) [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. 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 Durham VA Medical Center 508 Fulton Street Durham, NC 27705 US
• Name: Gary Byles
• Phone: 919-286-0411 X4949
• Email: [email protected]