This position is located in a Mental Health Program in the Social Work Service at the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York. The Social Worker functions as part of the Mental Health staff. The incumbent functions as part of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, providing social work screening, discharge and treatment planning for those admitted to the IPU unit. The Social Worker may provide services in more than one program or clinic and may be required to travel depending on assignment.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major Duties: For the GS-9 Level, you work under supervision. For the GS-11 Level, you will work independently. Clinical Functions Conducts psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. The incumbent completes an assessment of psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and utilizes this information to formulate, implement and coordinate a discharge plan that includes outpatient psychosocial treatment plan and coordination involving providers across VA programs and community agencies as needed. Provides education with recovery-oriented core principles to patients, family members and significant others. Utilizes appropriate treatment modalities for medical and mental health diagnoses and patient disabilities in working with individuals, groups and families to achieve treatment goals. Makes judgment in utilizing supportive, problem solving or crisis intervention techniques, especially around prescribed medications. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients, hospital staff and representatives of community agencies, is able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds and collaboratively participates in treatment planning meetings as needed. Uses word processing, data management and other computer software and programs used by the VHA. Facilitates referrals pertaining to social welfare benefits, Veterans benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, and non-service-connected pension, based upon Veterans needs and eligibility. Provides consultation to VA staff and community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment and discharge plans for patients. Documents results of assessments, consultations and interventions. Develops, implements, and documents the recommended plan of care for patients and completes all indicated processes involved with implementation of outpatient treatment plan. Provides clinical services through the use of Telehealth when clinically appropriate and applicable to setting. Attends training and uses evidence-based treatment practices for patient centered care as appropriate to assignment. Administrative Functions The incumbent is responsible for supporting the mission, policies and procedures of VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), the facility, Social Work Service and Mental Health Service. May serve on committees, work groups and task forces at the facility, VISN, or VA Central Office levels with supervisory approval. Keeps supervisor apprised of problems and recommends solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. Participates in meetings with patient specific clinical teams to provide advocacy and resources. Shares knowledge gained from clinical practice and training relevant to the field of Social Work with colleagues. Comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program actively promote awareness of diversity and inclusion in Social Work practice. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical documentation required by the Medical Center, VISN, VHA or oversight agencies. Assists in ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical practice and program to which assigned. Complies with national and local performance measures, including advance care planning and timely completion of clinical reminders. Attends and participates in administrative and clinical meetings held by Social Work, Mental Health and Medical Center leadership as requested. Attends individual and group supervision, team meetings related to assignment and work group as appropriate. Academic Functions May provide clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including trainees or staff seeking advanced certifications in Social Work with supervisory approval. May be involved in Social Work Training and Education Committee. Provides leadership and consultation on the field of Social Work to colleagues and trainees. Serves as a consultant to medical center staff and trainees to assist with their formulation of patient centered treatment based on psychosocial characteristics. May participate in program evaluation and research activities with supervisory approval. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21R99-A 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 Master 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/. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Note: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-9 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: 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 September 10, 2019 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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 Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center - Albany 113 Holland Ave Albany, NY 12208 US
• Name: Yviana Martinez
• Email: [email protected]