The Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Outreach Social Worker provides triage services, psychiatric assessment, referrals and support for homeless Veterans seeking services from Community Integration Services and in community based shelters, soup kitchens and places where homeless Veterans may congregate.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Engagement - The HCHV Outreach Social Worker will locate Veterans in the community and engage Veterans seeking services through Community Integration Services. This may involve visiting homeless encampments, shelters, and areas unfit for human habitation (e.g., under bridges, parks). The Social Worker will provide information about Community Integration Services and may transport Veterans to /from the VAMHCS if needed in order to engage. Screening/Assessment- The HCHV Outreach Social Worker will complete a psychosocial assessment, under supervision, using standard assessment techniques as well as documentation required by VACO for homeless Veterans. The HCHV Outreach Social Worker is also responsible for formulating a clinical diagnosis and independently developing a plan of care for the veteran. The goal of this psychosocial assessment is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The HCHV Outreach Social Worker is responsible for contributing to the development of the plan of care and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran, family members/significant others and other community and hospital based providers. Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment, the HCHV Outreach Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and community based homeless resources. The Social Worker will collaborate with internal and external service providers in addressing the Veteran's needs. The Social Worker is responsible for educating the veteran and family members/significant others of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference. Resource Usage/Development- The HCHV Outreach Social Worker is responsible for efficiently accessing internal and community based homeless Veterans services. The Social Worker is also responsible for developing their own knowledge base regarding community homeless resources as well as competency in procedural process for accessing these services. The Social Worker may also be tasked with expanding collaborations with community based providers in the attempt to provide streamlined access to other community based social services. Advocacy - The HCHV Outreach Social Worker understands the barriers to accessing services for our homeless Veteran population and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran and family members/caregiver. 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. Crisis Intervention -The HCHV Outreach Social Worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. The Social Worker has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. The HCHV Social Worker may be faced with medical or psychiatric emergency while engaging with homeless Veterans in the community. The Social Worker will follow the standards set forth within their scope of practice and will be conscious of the established mental health protocols of the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS). Education/Health promotion and prevention - The HCHV Outreach Social Worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives and Psychiatric Treatment Preferences. He/she may refer and/or assist Veterans in accessing these resources and services as appropriate. Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services The HCHV Outreach Social Worker will review the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran. The Social Worker will educate the veteran of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran on the preferred options. Supportive counseling -The HCHV Outreach Social Worker will provide the Veterans ongoing supportive counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of homelessness, mental health and medical issues. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30PM Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0000 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/. [(1) 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.] Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f) Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 [ ] (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. (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 [ ] (1) 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR (2) 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. (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. Preferred Experience: None References: September 10, 2019 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.

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 Maryland Health Care System 10 North Greene Street Baltimore, MD 21201 US
• Name: Nikki Watson
• Phone: 410-605-7000
• Email: [email protected]