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

Major duties include but not limited to: The HCHV Social Worker conducts psychosocial assessments and develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team and possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions. The HCHV Social Worker is able to coordinate community-based services. He/she must be well versed in providing information and referral for additional services from other VA programs (including the national Call Center), other government programs and community agency programs. The incumbent develops psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment. Using known resources and with the involvement of the supervisor, the incumbent makes initial and continuing decisions coordinating the veteran's care through linking and referral to VA medical facilities or Regional Offices and other VA and non-VA services and provides independent consultation and makes recommendation to the interdisciplinary team on course of action. The incumbent effectively provides case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, advanced clinical training, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high risk factors, acuity, and needs for services. The incumbent is able to provide consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan. Incumbent will demonstrate ability to evaluate own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means. Incumbent is able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Incumbent will demonstrate general knowledge of veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service connected compensation, non-service connected pension and will facilitate referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility. The incumbent provides focused case management at Health Care for Homeless Veterans Contract sites. The incumbent will assess eligibility of veterans for appropriate contract beds and will coordinate admissions and discharges. He/she uses various treatment modalities of individual and group work, case work, community organization, and community outreach activities to alleviate or remove problems that interfere with the HCHV Contract participants' ability to achieve independence. The HCHV Social Worker provides outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs and provides follow-up. The incumbent engages in coordination with community agencies, organizations, and groups to learn of services or resources available for homeless veterans as well as provides current information on services and benefits in the HCHV Program. He/she complies with criminal conflict of interest laws and Executive Branch Standards of conduct so as to avoid conflicts of interest while serving as the HCHV Social Worker. The incumbent may serve as the primary point of contact for the National Call Center and Homeless Consults for HCHV. The incumbent actively participates in the HCHV conference calls and attends training offered by the HCHV Program. He/she actively participates in program planning and development, advising the supervisor of shifting trends with caseloads and identifying the recommendations on program procedure or policy changes based upon work experiences. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Telework: May be available on Ad-hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 640-00516F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Grade Determinations: GS-9 Entry Level Social Worker 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. GS-11 Full Performance Social Worker 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 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: This position requires light lifting, light carrying, use of fingers, both legs requires, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades, and Hearing (aid permitted). Driving is required for this position.

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 Palo Alto VA Medical Center 3801 Miranda Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 US
• Name: Tyler Jennings
• Phone: 775-486-3377
• Email: [email protected]