This position is located at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Tomah, Wisconsin, in the Social Work Department within Patient Care Services. The primary purpose of this position is to provide direct care, discharge and community transition, education and planning services to Veterans hospitalized on inpatient psychiatric care, long term care with a mental health emphasis and short-stay rehabilitation.

Duties

Major duties include but not limited to: Patient Services Utilizes interviewing techniques to access skills needed by the patient to achieve optimum level of functioning and communicates this information to the treatment team. Serves as a Case Worker by assisting the multi-disciplinary treatment team (psychologists, social workers, nursing staff, recreation therapist, etc.,) in monitoring patient progress via the established treatment plan. Conducts individual and group education and counseling under the guidance of appropriate clinical staff assigned to the program. Serves as an advocate for the Veteran through an awareness of patient problems and needs while in the program (acute inpatient psychiatry, mental health recovery, community living center or the mental health residential rehabilitation treatment program (RRPT)). Outreach Coordinates with community care, transitional housing, homeless shelters and other - organizations and agencies providing services to Veterans. Educates and encourages Veterans to make use of available community services and to participate in benefit programs for which the Veteran is found eligible. Caseworker Responsibility related to discharge planning for a client caseload of Veterans who often have chronic mental health concerns and who are now stabilized and moving out into the community. Plans, advocates, monitors and provides connections for the Veteran and resource development in the community. Action oriented to ensure provision of mental and physical health care services, prescribed medications, funds, and entitlements as well as adequate housing. Direct contact with Veterans to assist in decreasing reliance on inpatient resources and increase reliance on outpatient community and personal resource's for crisis resolution. Assists in improving the social and interpersonal functioning by maximizing constructive use of time through vocational, recreational and social activity. Provides education regarding the importance of these activities, facilitates engagement, and provides direct referrals when needed. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Social Services Assistant/PD14151A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/23/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: (a) Group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs. (b) Counselor in a youth summer camp. (c) Instructor in a training program for the development of job skills. (d) Work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew. (e)Group activities leader in the Armed Services. (f) Unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility. (g) Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government),employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development. (h) Aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities. (i) Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed at least one-half year of graduate level education (9 semester hours above a Bachelor's degree) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. . You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Critical ThinkingCustomer ServiceInterpersonal SkillsOral CommunicationPartneringProblem Solving Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Travel may be required on outreach trips to the community. While a significant amount of the work performed is sedentary in nature, the employee must engage in walking, climbing stairs, bending, lifting, carrying, and assisting patients in entering buildings and automobiles. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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 Tomah VA Medical Center 500 East Veterans Street Tomah, WI 54660 US
• Name: Lamelia Lucas
• Phone: (224) 454-6672
• Email: [email protected]