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 Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Social Worker functions as a co-located, collaborative, and integrated behavioral health provider, delivering brief, triage, and consultation-based services to Veterans, Primary Care providers, and Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members within Primary Care. The focus is on general mental health service delivery for a wide range of concerns, resolving problems within the primary care service context, and referring to general or specialty mental health as needed. PCMHI Social Work visits are brief, limited in number, evidence-based, provided in the Primary Care practice or close vicinity, and structured so that the Veteran views meeting with the Psychologist in PCMHI as routine primary care service. Administrative Duties: The incumbent aspires to follow and promote the VA Core Values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence (I CARE). They are responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving most conflicts that arise, coordinating and communicating with others as necessary and interpreting policies to accomplish their work. The incumbent independently organizes work, sets priorities, meets multiple deadlines and evaluates assigned program areas. They correctly utilize the patient electronic record (CPRS) to capture care activities and productivity workload. The incumbent documents all interventions in the medical record according to medical center and VA Central Office standards. They adhere to VA and other federal confidentiality and privacy guidelines. The incumbent establishes and maintain positive working relationships with VA employees, VA volunteers, Veterans, customers and stakeholders within the VA and in the community. They attend all required team, interdisciplinary, committee, and service level meetings. The incumbent participates in the development and implementation of continuous performance improvement processes and complies with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program. Clinical Care Duties: The incumbent provides psychoeducation and/or short- term counseling as individual, group and/or family interventions when clinically indicated/appropriate and when of therapeutic benefit to the recipients. They are willing to be successfully trained and implement Evidenced Based Psychotherapies and regularly utilize measurement- based screenings (i.e. GAD-7; PHQ-9). The interventions are provided with emphasis on development of a positive and appropriate therapeutic relationship which is sensitive to the clinical, cultural, developmental and spiritual needs of Veterans, are empirically supported and/or are theoretically appropriate. Treatment is arranged in appropriate intervals of time over an appropriate span of time. 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, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning. Assessments and interventions provided are reflected in the treatment plan and include Veteran and/or family involvement with goals, interventions and discharge plans that are realistic, achievable and understandable. The incumbent performs measurement- based care instrumentation and screenings regularly and routinely, psychological testing and/or exempt testing (based on hospital privileges or scope of practice) when it is clinically appropriate to a treatment question as part of an assessment. The incumbent uses scores and/or interpretive reports in a manner that is clinically and ethically appropriate and provides feedback to the Veteran as part of this testing process. The incumbent documents direct Veteran care at a minimum of 80% of the time allotted to direct care in the clinician's weekly profile. This time includes individual therapy, groups, family therapy, couples therapy, and direct clinical phone calls with the Veteran.they establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families. Works independently with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. The incumbent possesses a thorough knowledge in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. Work Schedule: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m, Monday - Friday Compressed/Flexible:Not Authorized Telework: Negotiable Upon Hire Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Cynthina Powell, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Requirements

Qualifications

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 (Entry Level) 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. Please make sure the KSA's are demonstrated in your resume. 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: The work requires sitting, bending, stooping and walking consistent with the delivery of services in the office, hospital and community. The position may entail lifting of no more than 25 pounds on an occasional basis. Whenever possible, carts and dollies will be utilized as an alternative to lifting.

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]