The VA Central Iowa Health Care System is recruiting for one (1) full-time position for the Mental Health Service Line. This position may be filled by a Social Worker, Psychologist, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, or Marriage and Family Therapist. This position is located at the Mason City Community Based Outreach Clinic, 478 Tiffany Drive, Mason City, IA 50401.

Duties

This position is in the Mental Health Integrated Clinical Community (MHICC) and will be responsible for the management, coordination, and development of social work services to veterans and their families assigned to their caseload via a consult from primary care, post-acute inpatient psychiatry referral, self-referral, or consult from a mental health provider. Incumbent provides therapy/counseling (individual, couples, families, and groups) to veterans for issues related to mental health and behavioral issues, substance abuse disorders and other complex and diverse psychosocial problems as well as patients being treated at the CBOC for primary care issues. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members. Perform insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, and other high-risk diagnoses. Actively participate in the treatment planning process with other disciplines and adjust the treatment plan as appropriate. Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and ensure that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. Provide individual, family, and group psychotherapy using evidence-based practice modalities within a recovery focused framework. Provide consultation/education to veterans and families on community resources and VA benefits. Act as a consultant to other team/staff members. Provide consultation/education to medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedure. Act as the liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. Provide case management to veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care. Provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management, and other services as appropriate. Address Advance Directives and act in accordance with the standards of their work area. Provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate. As appropriate, supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker. Coordinate treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for veterans. Participate in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager. Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, VA and medical center policy and procedures. Assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death. Document social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring patient care. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Available - Ad Hoc as appropriate Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. 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: 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. 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: (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. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II, Appendix G39 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of the evaluation or examination.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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 Central Iowa Health Care System 3600 30th St Des Moines, IA 50310 US
• Name: Kelsey Petty
• Phone: 515-721-4423
• Email: [email protected]