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

Provide clinical medical and psychiatric social work services to veterans in the Urgent Care within the Medical Center. Provides direct patient care and professional services to an adult population of veterans, their families, and their support systems. This is accomplished in collaboration with other interdisciplinary treatment team members as appropriate. Will provide coverage for other areas within the Medical Center or coverage while other staff are on leave. Duties will vary based on grade. At the GS-11 level, duties will include, but are not limited to: Using systems and strengths-based approach, screen and assess veterans who present to Urgent Care. The focus will include the veteran's presenting psychosocial needs, behavioral health needs, strengths, family support, availability of resources, suicide, and homicide assessments, danger assessment in situations involving suspected abuse, and determination of appropriateness for admission or most appropriate disposition. Demonstrates an understanding of assessment, clinical treatment, and the skills needed for all adult patients pertaining to psychological, social, and age-associated illnesses and conditions. Must have a clinical understanding of the problems of Veteran of all eras, respect for the diversification of the veteran population, remain sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs, and concerns, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of the veteran population. After conducting a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, utilizing tools and methods as required for the assigned program area, develop theoretically and clinically based treatment plans. Independently take appropriate actions that align with Social Work Ethics and Standards and VA Guidelines for treatment, assessment, and reporting. Throughout the course of assessment and treatment, is the subject matter expert on VA and community resources, referring to services/agencies as needed. Work directly with Urgent Care staff in developing and implementing plans that will meet the needs of the veteran and their support system while respecting the Veteran's needs, self-determination, and psychosocial constraints. Act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family and as an advocate for the VA and the need for services in specific geographical areas. At all times will positively and professionally represent the VA to community members. Assess and respond to veteran crisis situations. Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, staff will follow the established protocol of the program. Process alleged abuse cases according to policy. Ensures that the supervisor, social worker, is kept informed of any concerns with either patients or community facilities. Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, health care planning, behavioral health diagnosis and treatment, and VA staff education, and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Responsible to participate in the coordination of referrals to non institutional care services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members. Participate in screening veterans who present for admission in our urgent care to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each veteran being referred for care as needed. Educate the veteran/family members and the team on the options available. Addressing the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/disabling illness, mental health crisis or decompensation, abuse, onset of a catastrophic illness and/or death and dying, and/or need for non-institutional or institutional services, provide the veterans and their caregivers with supportive listening, brief therapy, and crisis management. Establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers, and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attend all meetings when possible (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, social work staff meetings, etc.) and perform other duties as required. Collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program. Participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am - 4:30pm Telework: AD-HOC 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

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. 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. 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: 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 moderate lifting (15-44lbs) and operation of motor vehicle.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4815 North Assembly Street Spokane, WA 99205 US
• Name: Rebecca Hanson
• Phone: 509-434-7320
• Email: [email protected]