The Social Worker will serve clients within the Suicide Prevention Program of the Behavioral Health Service Line (BHSL) of the Fayetteville, NC VA Medical Center and function as a Case Manager treating Veteran patients across the lifespan with a full range of mental health conditions in the Suicide Prevention Program. Duties may be assigned in other BHSL program areas as needed for the overall benefit of the Medical Center and BHSL.

Duties

This position has been identified as a shortage occupation on under OCHCO 202310103-02 FY '24; per 38 U.S.C. 7412 this waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference for external applicants made to appointments in FY '24. As a member of the Suicide Prevention Program the Social Work Case Manager will assist the BHSL team manage veteran cases identified as "high risk" for suicide or suicidal behaviors. The social work case manager addresses home care needs, homelessness, and transition across levels and sites of care. Case management responsibilities also include providing supportive services to families. In addition, the incumbent assists at risk veterans in coping with acute illness, chronic illness, combat stress, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), community adjustment, addictions, and other health and mental health problems. Social Work case management practice, which includes psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, is focused on helping at risk veterans and their families maximize behavioral health rehabilitation and treatment potential to achieve more adequate, satisfying, and productive emotional and social functioning. Duties include but are not limited to the following: GS-11 Level Assignment: Weekly clinical contact for high-risk veterans discharged from inpatient status for the first thirty days post discharge. Monthly contact for veterans deemed at high-risk for suicide following national guidelines, and those veterans placed on the high-risk list. Review medical records in conjunction with treating mental health provider(s) to ensure completion of suicide risk screen/assessment, personal safety plan and follow-up notes including treatment plan updates. Coordination of all treatment or appointments with mental health and primary care including active communication with all providers involved in enhanced care to high-risk veterans. Provision of evidenced-based treatment to high-risk veterans (i.e., group, individual CBT) and completion of specialized training and/or certification in evidenced-based treatment for high-risk behavior (e.g., DBT) Review/provision of comprehensive discharge planning and social service referrals to high-risk veterans and families Responds to National Suicide Prevention Hotline/Veterans Crisis Line and internal facility calls regarding suicidal veterans. Participation in administrative committees associated with tracking and monitoring of high-risk veterans and serving as back-up to Suicide Prevention Coordinator and other Suicide Prevention Case Managers as needed. Tracking all suicide attempts and patients with serious suicide ideation at each facility Tracking any no-show appointments by identified veterans with follow-up. Provides case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, advanced clinical training, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high-risk factors, acuity, and needs for services. Ensuring that identified high-risk veterans have a 24-hour resource number to call and ways to get assistance if an immediate crisis should occur. Developing and implementing an ongoing education plan for providers, veterans, families, and members of the community on risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options Other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Remote: Not Authorized Telework/Virtual: Authorized Per Agency Guidelines Position/Functional Statement #: Social Worker/F000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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 Master of Social Work. AND Licensure: Candidates 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to SW Licensure Summary by State. (NOTE: If you are not going to provide a copy of your SW license, please ensure that your license is listed on your resume to include the expiration date.) 1. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. 2. Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 3. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. GRADE REQUIREMENTS 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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 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. Full Performance Level-This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks, or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses 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/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment, and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. They independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Social workers serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. They provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise, and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11. Preferred Experience: While not required, experience in mental health crisis management, suicide risk assessment and evidence-based practices in mental health treatment is preferred.

Education

Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation.

1. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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 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:

2. 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.

3. 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 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.

NOTE: 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 later to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker.

English Language Proficiency: Social Workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403 (f).

Physical Requirements: Must be able to meet the physical requirements outlined in VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II, Appendix G39

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 Fayetteville NC VA Medical Center 2300 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 US
• Name: Patti Hoover
• Phone: 217-510-8022
• Email: [email protected]