If you're NOT a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12288424-24-SA. Primary duty assignment for this position is the Central AR Veterans Healthcare System Mental Health Clinic located on the North Little Rock, AR campus. This a complex outpatient treatment program that consist of multiple interdisciplinary staff. This position is part of the Women's Mental Health Initiative and will serve women and women-identifying veterans.

Duties

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The duties of the Social Worker - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program in Mental Health Service include but are not limited to: Works closely with an interdisciplinary team in coordinating care for veterans. The incumbent completes mental health psychosocial assessments, treatment plans and discharge planning. S/He provides supportive services to the family and caregiver as appropriate. They make referrals to other Mental Health Service programs, and complete internal/eternal consults for specialty services. The incumbent will assist with short-term and long-term interventions to enhance compliance with treatment and programming, provide individual and group evidenced-based psychotherapy services, crisis intervention and promotion of whole-health principles. The incumbent has knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses and methods of treatment as well as medical diagnoses and their impact on the Veteran. The incumbent is expected to function as a case manager to assist Veterans with an appropriate treatment plan including but not limited to referral to other clinic services, providing appropriate mental health follow up services, obtaining needed resources, contacting family/other supports when appropriate and other case management duties as indicated or needed. CAVHS utilizes the Behavioral Healthcare Interdisciplinary Program (SHIP) to simplify the transition and expedite access to outpatient behavioral healthcare services. The incumbent will serve as the mental health treatment coordinator for Veterans assigned to their BHIP team. The incumbent's function is to complete a brief evaluation of new MH patients within 24 hours of consult to MHC outpatient services. If indicated, incumbent will schedule a SHIP intake appointment for the comprehensive evaluation. An interdisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurse practitioners provides the SHIP services, which include an initial triage evaluation followed by a comprehensive evaluation with a functional assessment in the following areas: - Psychological - Physical - Substance use/abuse - Developmental - Family - Educational - Social/cultural - Environmental - Recreational - Vocational Clinical Functions. The incumbent demonstrates the ability to conduct psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. S/He demonstrates a basic knowledge of human development and behavior(Physical and psychological}, and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture. The incumbent demonstrates the ability to work with patients and families who are experiencing emotional, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group, and family counseling skills. With guidance from the social work supervisor, the incumbent assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, formulates and implements a treatment plan, identifies the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses. coping skills, and provides assistance needed. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible:Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: (3+days per pay period) Per clinic need Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-00036-F and 598-00037-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. 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. 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. 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). 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. Examples of creditable experience include but not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. 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: (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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Preferred Experience (This position will be a part of the Women's Mental Health Initiative and will serve women and women-identifying veterans): Experience in BHIP Experience in women's health and a passion for women's healthcare Licensure Knowledge or a commitment to gaining knowledge in Women's Health issues such as pre-menstrual disorders, peri and postpartum challenges, infertility, menopause, and cancer. Is familiar with (and ideally certified in provision of) Evidence Based Psychotherapies (EBP) used in the treatment of conditions for female-identified Veterans, including Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and is familiar with clinical research literature. Must have experience providing suicide risk assessments and initial treatments for high-risk patients and Veterans in crisis. Demonstrated success in teamwork, collaboration, and interpersonal effectiveness especially in busy settings. Commitment to continual growth in culturally competent practice. A strong background in the provision of brief, individual and group evidence-based therapies (i.e., Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression; Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing/Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Behavioral Activation, Mindfulness and Acceptance-based interventions, Problem Solving Therapy) Interest in continued development of skills and competencies in evidence-based practice in the HMC setting (i.e. Cognitive Processing therapy, Prolonged-Exposure, Problem Solving Therapy, Couples Therapy, Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) Experience providing tele-mental health services Experience and willingness to supervise and train interns and fellows References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 9 to 11. Please see physical requirements below in the "Education" section.

Education

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), light lifting/carrying (under 15 pounds), use of fingers, walking (2 hours), Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, hearing (aid permitted), and mental and emotional stability. Environmental factors include outside and inside, and working closely with others. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services).

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 John L McClellan Memorial Veterans' Hospital 4300 West Seventh Street Little Rock, AR 72205 US
• Name: Sandi Adkins
• Phone: 601-368-4431
• Email: [email protected]