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. Program 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.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major Duties: Will complete quarterly phone based assessments of PTSD, depression, alcohol/substance use, adjustment (i.e., work and family functioning), and needs assessment on all Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management Veterans who register with CAVHCS, including clinical reminders for mental health screening flags in CPRS. Will coordinate all mental health referrals based on these assessments. Serve as primary liaison for mental health services with referring Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense entities. Assist Veterans with access to VA and community mental health resources. Coordinate and facilitate monthly Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management returning Veteran groups at CAVHCS and community organizations for Veterans and their families in accordance with the CAVHCS Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management Program. Will establish outreach to returning veterans and their families in the CAVHCS area through participation in Public Service Announcements, establishing liaison with community organizations, and presentations at community organizations (i.e., schools, faithbased organizations, Veterans of Foreign Wars, contact with county office veteran's representatives, etc.). Will coordinate the outreach and mental health assessment program with the Manager of the Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management Program and CAVHCS Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management Team. Provide feedback to the Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Management Program Manager regarding reported unmet needs of veterans as reported in the groups and assessments. Will coordinate with Post-9/11 Military2VA Case Program Manager to address unmet needs as appropriate and feasible. Establish interface with the Veteran's primary care provider and team for addressing of unmet needs. Will participate in development of a treatment plan for each patient with whom major contact is expected, with measurable goals outlined, based on relevant psychological, medical and psychiatric treatment information and principles of treatment matching. Will assist patients in the preparation of materials needed for applications to various agencies for entitlements. Serve as the major clinic consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes patients encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. Will identify, develop and facilitate accessibility and utilization of VA and community resources to meet the needs of patients and clinics, including outreach to community agencies. Collaborate with and utilize other members of the interdisciplinary team such as psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, psychiatry residents, and other social workers to provide comprehensive care to patients. Document patient's progress by creating a progress note for each encounter; progress notes are written to address the treatment plan problem list. Revise the treatment plan according to clinic procedure. Enter patient data into the computer. Be responsible to stay abreast of current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals, attending conferences, clinic seminars and teleconferences, and materials given out by staff and Psychiatry Service. Participate in and contribute to research and educational activities associated with the Psychiatry Service and initiate research activity if appropriate. Work Schedule:8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday Virtual: This is not a virtual position. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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 the CSWE website to verify if that 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-185 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 on the OHRM website. 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. 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. 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). 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. Grade Determinations:GS-9:Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.2. 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.3. 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.4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.5. 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. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.2. 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.3. 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.4. 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.5. 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, Part II, Chapter 3, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. 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. Preferred Experience:1. LICSW2. Case management experience3. Work with OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and families4. Experience assessing biopsychosocial needs of Veterans5. Public speaking6. Knowledge of Community/State/Federal benefits/services7. Knowledge of Military culture Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others.

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 Central Alabama VA Medical Center-Montgomery 215 Perry Hill Road Montgomery, AL 36109 US
• Name: Ashley Lafi
• Phone: 708-940-8495
• Email: [email protected]