This position is located within the Social Work Service at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. The incumbent functions as one of the HUD-VASH Social Workers for the Medical Center's Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program (HCHV), HUD-VASH Program. The HUD-VASH program is a collaborative effort, supported through HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA's provision of intensive case management services. The goal is to move Veterans and their families out of chronic homelessness.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Outreach - The incumbent regularly conducts and participants in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and "on the streets," as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers, outpatient clinics, or the local Coordinated Entry System (CES). Screening/Assessment - The incumbent establishes, implements, and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD-VASH Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs. Referral, screening and admission criteria recognizes program eligibility, prioritization of subsets of the homeless Veteran population, requirements of the PHAs, and other policy, regulation, or law pertaining to program administration. The incumbent evaluates the Veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and prioritization for admission. receives and completes consults requesting services from interdisciplinary team members and from other mental health professional on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The incumbent works closely with the Veteran, will develop a mutually agreed upon treatment plan, which will build on the analysis of information gathered in the assessment and the strengths and perceived barriers identified by the Veteran. The incumbent will work with the Veteran to develop goals and objectives that are specific, measurable, realistic and time limited. Referral to Service Providers - Throughout the course of treatment the incumbent is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The incumbent provides referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. Advocacy - The incumbent understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family. Crisis Intervention - The incumbent is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. Education/Health Promotion and Prevention - The incumbent provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Supportive Counseling/Case Management - The incumbent will provide the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. Non-patient Care Responsibilities - The Social Worker will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. The incumbent is responsible for data collection, administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements and/or monitors. Work Schedule: Mon - Fri 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92077-A 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 Requirement - You must 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work. Licensure - You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Indiana requires Licensed Clinical Social Worker-LCSW. 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: Experience requirements for GS-9: In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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. Experience requirements for GS-11: You must have one of the following: 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); OR a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS9 to GS11. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone, retrieving files, writing reports, data entry and maintenance of computer databases, etc. Work is typically performed sitting at a desk and using a computer, however much of the work is also in the community/Veterans homes, so the environment can change accordingly. Since the position is community based, the position requires travel and driving a government vehicle, and thus requires a valid drivers license. The position requires periods of walking, standing, sitting and bending.

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 Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center 1481 West Tenth Street Indianapolis, IN 46202 US
• Name: Justina Saucedo
• Phone: 785-409-9018
• Email: [email protected]