Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent employees of Danville VA facility, CBOC's, Canteen and Service Lines. Health Professional Trainees (HPT's).

Videos

• Arranges referrals or services on behalf of the Veteran to ensure that necessary and timely clinical services are received and in accordance to VHA Directive 1162.02 and local policies.
• Interviews Veterans to establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning as part of a comprehensive screening process.
• Coordinates day-to-day functions of the admissions process also ensuring that all Veterans admitted to the RRTP receive Resident Orientation and S.A.V.E. training and is evaluated for risk of suicide by conducting a Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation.
• The incumbent assists the Program Manager in managing the RRTP program waitlist, acts as a liaison to referring clinicians, and coordinates the admissions process. In coordinating the admission process, the incumbent serves as a point of contact with programmatic responsibilities for admissions related issues and assists RRTP Program Manager with incorporating VISN and national policies and guidelines into local policies and practices and for developing productive working relationships with referral sources such as community agencies and other VA facilities.
• Develop and conduct mental health and substance use treatment groups.
• Is responsible for promotion of Social Work services as a key component of treatment.
• Evaluates his/her practice as a social worker on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer 2 review, case conferences, research studies or other organized means.
• Provides social work services to Veterans and family members/significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment.
• Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including RRTP screenings, psychosocial assessments, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral.
• Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Utilization of tele-health modalities may be required as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

For details/temporary promotions, you need your supervisor's approval to release you if selected for the detail/temporary promotion. Please submit documentation of approval as an attachment.

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
CITIZENSHIP: Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part).
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: Must 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
LICENSURE: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED)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.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
GS-12 GRADE LEVEL
EXPERIENCE: In addition to the basic requirements, you must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Examples of specialized experience at the GS-11 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; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
2. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
3. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
4. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
5. Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.