Provides Mental Health services to the Veteran population. Services include psychosocial and diagnostic assessment, treatment planning, provision of individual and group psychotherapy, evidence-informed skills training, family/couples psychotherapy/psychoeducation, and crisis intervention. Care/case management are provided, as needed for the Veteran and family. Services are delivered in collaboration with members of the BHIP team and other interdisciplinary treatment teams, as appropriate.

Duties

The Social Worker will collaborate with other members of the BHIP team in the provision of team-based health care services. The incumbent routinely uses measurement-based care (MBC) in the delivery of services and is informed by VA/DOD clinical guidelines in independently selecting treatment options for Veterans and their families. Clinical Functions: Incumbent is a professional social worker assigned to the VASTLHCS. The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans referred to the BHIP. The incumbent completes thorough psychosocial assessments as part of the consult process when the Veteran is initially referred to BHIP. The incumbent is expected to use both Evidence Based Psychotherapy (EBP) and Evidence Based Psychosocial Interventions (EBPI) and evidence-informed psychosocial interventions, as part of their clinical work with Veterans and families. The incumbent: Completes thorough psychosocial, risk, and diagnostic assessments, as clinically indicated, to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize assessments to inform treatment planning. Must have competence and confidence in diagnosing mental health conditions and identifying correlating evidence-informed or EBP/EBPI treatment interventions as first line considerations in treatment planning. The incumbent uses shared decision making to independently develop a Veteran-centered treatment plan for Veterans, or to contribute to an existing treatment plan. The incumbent sets SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-based) treatment goals/objectives with the Veteran, family members/significant others and in collaboration with the team (e.g. team-based care), as applicable. All goals/objectives are aimed at maximizing Veteran independence and recovery. Must possess knowledge and ability to independently provide EBP, EBPI, and evidence informed episodes of care to treat and assist Veterans with recovering from a wide range of mental health disorders, including but not limited to: Depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorders, and personality disorders. The incumbent also provides skills building interventions for common psychosocial stressors or symptoms, including interpersonal problems and grief. The incumbent routinely uses MBC to monitor progress and inform treatment planning. For complex or treatment resistant conditions, the incumbent uses team-based consultation to inform updates or modifications to the treatment plan, as needed. Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the BHIP and their families. The incumbent can independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. Maintains general knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies. Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families and facilitates referrals based upon Veterans' needs and eligibility. Serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources to ensure thorough delivery of services. When appropriate and feasible, the Social Worker will educate and encourage the Veteran to advocate on his/her own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will (including psychiatric interventions) and will refer Veterans and family members/significant others to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. 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, treatment progress, and graduation/discharge planning. The incumbent strives to develop cultural competence through ongoing education and learning and demonstrates effectiveness in working with Veterans from diverse backgrounds. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned by the supervisor for the benefit of the Veteran, families, and quality of services provided. Work Schedule: Work Schedule negotiable with supervisor Telework: Available (Typically 3-6 days per pay period) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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: 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/. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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. 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). Preferred Experience: Working with Caregivers of enrolled Veterans, experience with conducting Home Visits, experience completing complex psychosocial assessments. Grade Determinations: Social Worker GS-9 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: (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. 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 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: (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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 PART II, APPENDIX G39, SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant will be selected for this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: There may be some walking, standing, sitting, bending, and carrying of light items.

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 VA St Louis Health Care System 1 Jefferson Barracks Drive St. Louis, MO 63125 US
• Name: Juan Santos
• Email: [email protected]