VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System is committed to Diversity and Inclusion. Together, we strive to create and maintain a working and learning environment that promotes professional growth and teamwork. We offer an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment where we celebrate our individual differences and unite as a team toward a common goal of providing outstanding service to our Nation's Veterans.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent provides clinical social work services to Veterans enrolled in the Residential Rehabilitation Program (RRTP) on the Leavenworth Campus of Eastern Kansas Healthcare System (EKHCS). Clinical Social Work services include provision of case management, psychosocial assessments, assistance with completion of advanced directives, intake assessment, discharge planning, clinical treatment, individual therapy, group therapy, advocacy, screening and referral services and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers or agencies as needed by the client. This incumbent works an alternative schedule to provide services and support to the RRTP on Saturday and may be called upon to provide screening and general social work services to the Emergency Department. The RRTP Social Worker will have extensive knowledge of community programs and resources, which benefit Veterans enrolled in the RRTP. The social worker will be vital in ensuring the success of the RRTP mission of helping Veterans obtain the goals of stable employment, housing, sobriety and increased mental well being. The incumbent is expected to interact with the Veteran, families, significant others, medical center staff, legal systems and community agencies when therapeutically indicated. FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: Assessment - The incumbent will complete a social work assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. Screening - The incumbent may participate in the screening and assessment of Veterans to the RRTP program. Case Management - The incumbent provides case management to Veterans in the RRTP program. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The incumbent is responsible for developing the treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family/significant other. Psychotherapy - The incumbent will provide the Veterans with short term individual, couples or family therapy as appropriate. Group work - The incumbent will facilitate therapeutic, psychosocial and/or educational groups as appropriate. Referral to Service Providers - Throughout the course of treatment the incumbent is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. Resource Usage/Development - The incumbent is responsible for using the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. Advocacy - The incumbent will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family. Crisis Intervention - The incumbent is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. Education/Health promotion and prevention - The incumbent provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, health care planning, and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services - The incumbent is responsible for the coordination of the referrals to non-institutional services such as Adult Day Healthcare, hospice, respite, and community nursing home care services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members. Supportive counseling - The incumbent will provide the Veterans with ongoing supportive counseling. Administrative responsibilities - The incumbent will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Needs of Veterans - The position possesses or develops an understanding and sensitivity of the individual needs, beliefs, and/or expectations of patients with various backgrounds. The incumbent may be assigned other duties as appropriate. Work Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday, 7:30am to 4:00pm or 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available (Telework is determined by the agency policy)Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required EDRP Authorized: 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.

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. 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. (a) 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. (b) 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grandfathering: 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). All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (September 10, 2019) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (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. 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39, SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185The 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: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and prolonged standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers, and files.

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 Eastern Kansas Health Care System 2200 SW Gage Blvd Topeka, KS 66622 US
• Name: Christopher Jackson
• Phone: 785-350-3111 X53152
• Email: [email protected]