This position is with the Mental Health Program for the Social Work Service located at Fonda, NY (CBOC). The Social Worker functions as part of the staff in a Mental Health Program, providing mental health care within the Medical Center and/or Community Based Outpatients Clinics. The Social Worker applies strategies to a full range of patient problems and has knowledge of culturally sensitive psychological assessment techniques, including diagnosis, intervention and outreach.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major Duties: The Social Worker functions as part of the staff in a Mental Health Program, providing mental health care within the Medical Center and/or Community Based Outpatients Clinics. The Social Worker applies strategies to a full range of patient problems and has knowledge of culturally sensitive psychological assessment techniques, including diagnosis, intervention and outreach that qualifies them to provide consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines. The incumbent is also required to exercise judgment in the selection of or adaptation of standard and accepted psychological theories, techniques, and practices in treating patients and clinical populations. The primary job functions of the Social Worker include the provision of direct patient care, case management, consultation on difficult or complex cases, education of staff and trainee supervision as appropriate. It is expected the incumbent will successfully coordinate service delivery with the assigned team as well as other mental health programs and medical services within the facility and community as appropriate. CLINICAL FUNCTIONS Provides psychosocial assessment and diagnoses mental disorders based on assignment and clinical privileges. Provides education with recovery-oriented core principles to patients, family members and significant others. Provides targeted evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for individuals, couples, groups, families and eligible caregivers. Provides consultation to VA staff and community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients. Provides clinical services through the use of TeleHealth when clinically appropriate and applicable to setting. Collaborates with patient's interdisciplinary team, including participation in treatment team meetings/huddles. Initiates and promotes communication among medical staff and mental health staff, patients, their families and caregivers to facilitate the treatment process. Attends training and uses evidence-based treatment protocols for patient centered trauma informed treatment as appropriate to assignment. May provide supervision of trainees with supervisory approval. Performs case finding and outreach to identify and screen patients for psychosocial needs. Demonstrates the ability to evaluate their own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, supervision and other organizational means. Is responsible for assessment, management and follow up on psychiatric emergencies in the setting to which they are assigned. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS The incumbent is responsible for supporting the mission, policies and procedures of VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), the facility, Social Work Service and Mental Health Service. May serve on committees, work groups and task forces at the facility, VISN, or VA Central Office levels with supervisory approval. Keeps supervisor apprised of problems and recommends solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. Is responsible for furthering own professional growth through education, appropriate to area of assignment. Provides coverage during staff absences within the assigned work group and as requested by supervisor. Participates in meetings with patient specific clinical teams to provide advocacy and resources. Shares with colleagues knowledge gained from clinical practice and training relevant to the field of Social Work. Comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program actively promote awareness of diversity and inclusion in Social Work practice. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical documentation required by the Medical Center, VISN, VHA or oversight agencies. Assists in ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical practice and program to which assigned. Complies with national and local performance measures, including advance care planning and timely completion of clinical reminders. Complies with all procedures and standards for documentation including accurate use of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) coding. Attends individual and group supervision, team meetings related to assignment and work group as appropriate. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21O60-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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 Master 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/. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed for this vacancy. 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). NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. 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. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work. 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-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-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level must be Unrestricted, at the Independent Practice Level, with the ability to work independently. 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. Assignments: This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. 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 at the GS-11 grade level. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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 Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center - Albany 113 Holland Ave Albany, NY 12208 US
• Name: Yviana Martinez
• Email: [email protected]