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

Assigned to the Mental Health Service (MHS) Outpatient Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) with responsibility to provide direct services for Veterans, their families and caregivers. Duties will vary based on grade. At the GS-11 level, duties will include, but are not limited to: Functions Provides a full range of services within the Social Work scope of practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level, and preferences for care. Provides mental health and psychosocial assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of mental health issues, including services for patients with a myriad of mental health and psychosocial needs requiring diagnostic and intervention skills. Provides education to patients and family members regarding mental health disorders and best practice approaches to treatment. Provides consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources, Advance Care Planning, VA benefits, budgeting, activities of daily living, and recovery goals. Provides evidence based psychotherapeutic interventions as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker. Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plan for patients to ensure that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the Medical Center. Takes a lead clinical role in consultation. Develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients. Provides assessment and treatment (individual therapy, group therapy, and psychoeducation) for Veterans. Consults with other disciplines and clinics regarding specialized services. Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community agencies. Possesses general knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services related to special programs, service connected compensation, and non-service connected pension. Able to fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans, colleagues, and VA in accordance with NASW Code of Ethics, VHA Code of Ethics, and local ethics policies. Develops working relationships with the community and VA providers to whom referrals are most often made and becomes knowledgeable with what community and VA resources are available to Veterans. Refers Veterans to a wide variety of VA and community resources. Documents all Veteran care in the electronic health record in accordance with facility policy, VHA Directive 1162.05 (and revisions), and program-specific SOPs. Takes responsibility for improving professional competencies by participating in training programs and continuing education. Maintains accurate records of trainings in accordance with VA policies and state licensure requirements. Evaluates own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, and other means. Completes all mandatory VA trainings. Assists supervisor and/or program director in the design, development, and implementation of programming. Adheres to all facility and service line policies and practices for delivery of clinical care, including but not limited to risk assessment, means reduction, professional conduct requirements, and electronic medical record conventions. Achieves minimal clinical workload expectations as established by the service line. Complies with facility and service line policies and expectations concerning administrative practices, including but not limited to leave management and TMS education requirements. Maintains familiarity and responsibility for all behavioral health performance measures. Assists in development and maintenance of operational plans and strategic goals related to these measures. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by facility or service line leadership (or their designee). Maintains current knowledge of, and practices in accordance with, accrediting agency requirements. Assists program leadership in accreditation preparation and continuous readiness activities as requested. The GS-11 Social Worker may also be assigned the following: Actively participates in facility committees relevant to specialty care. Provides supervision to social work interns/trainees as requested. Provides training, education, and consultation to trainees, VA staff, and community partners related to specialized practice areas. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Available. Telework: 3 or more days per pay period Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected] for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 worker 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: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Exception: 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. 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. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. 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. 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. In addition to the experience and licensure or education above, the candidate 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. 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-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: This work requires sitting long period of time, working closely with others, and working alone.

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 Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Rebecca Hanson
• Phone: 509-434-7320
• Email: [email protected]