Serves Central Virginia Health Care Center and is responsible for clinical services providing treatment to patients in Mental Health Primary Care (MHPC). Will provide direct patient care services as part of the interdisciplinary team focusing on assessment of psychosocial issues that cause distress and negatively impacts the veteran's ability to function at optimum levels.

Duties

Must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans referred for services. Social Work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care. These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition, untreated or under- treated mental health or substance abuse condition, economic instability, legal problems, and inadequate housing and transportation. Completes brief assessments as part of the MHPC/CM warm handoff or consult process when the Veteran's is initially referred for services. Case Management services may encompass 1 visit or may extend for several visits. MHPC services include short-term (4-6 sessions), solution focused counseling with individuals and families who may be in crisis and/or have a need for supportive counseling. Will conduct brief assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members. Is active participant in the treatment process with other disciplines. Will provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate within the MHPC model (4-6 sessions) or utilizing an approved Evidence-Base Practice protocol (EBP). Will provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, nursing home, advance directives, homeless services, job fairs, and VA benefits along with other identified CM needs of Veterans. Will assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death, and connect them to community resources. Will act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed AND only when assigned to do so. Performs other directly related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am - 4:3-pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized EDRP Authorized Telework: Ad Hoc - as determined by the agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirement. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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. 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/. 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 above, candidates 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.

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.

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.

Contacts

• Address Central Virginia VA Health Care System 1201 Broad Rock Boulevard Richmond, VA 23249 US
• Name: Thomas Masters
• Phone: 757-604-8890
• Email: [email protected]