Clarification from the agency

Current Permanent VHSO, VA and Federal Employees Only

The duties include but are not limited to:

• This position is responsible for assessment, planning, and provision of case management services in the HBPC and CBOC Primary Care Clinics.
• This professional Social Worker coordinates a variety of activities including outreach, interdisciplinary activities, psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, consultation/education to Medical Center staff and community based service providers, the collection and maintenance of statistical data, program planning evaluation and modification, and the supervision of students as assigned.
• As a member of the Interdisciplinary Treatment Team in the HBPC Clinics, the individual conducts work activity independently using his/her educational training, clinical experience, VA policies, and Joint Commission standards in administering direct services: psychosocial assessment of patient/family needs in relation to the provision of interdisciplinary treatment planning and service delivery; individual, group, and family counseling and casework services for the purpose of addressing identified needs.
• The Social Worker will provide services both in the CBOC clinics and in the homes of Veterans enrolled in HBPC.
• The Social Worker will collaborate with the other members of the HBPC team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to HBPC Veterans, will ensure equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, and collect, develop and analyze data from this program, using appropriate clinical indicators and monitoring activities to assure that the care provided is of the highest quality.
• The Social Worker will also complete periodic program planning evaluations and reviews, and will recommend and implement new programs and/or modifications/expansion of existing programs, as indicated.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm (may work an irregular tour of duty, weekends, depending on the needs of the service)
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Current, valid, and unrestricted state issued driver's license

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. 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Social Workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, paragraph 3j.

Grade Determinations: Knowledge of Current Professional Social Work Practices: To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-MSW degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board.

Quality of Experience: Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level.

GS-9 Social Worker:
Experience, Education and Licensure: GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Social workers at the GS-9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification.

NOTE: Social workers with more than one year of post-MSW experience may be appointed at an advanced step within the GS-9 grade commensurate with their years of experience.

Assignments: Individuals assigned as GS-9 social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to VHA program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Since these social workers are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision.

GS-11 Social Worker:
Experience, Education and Licensure: Promotion to the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

OR
In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Assignments: This is the full performance level for social workers. GS-11 social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. They are assigned to all program areas, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area.

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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/23, Part II, Appendix G-39: SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-185

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: The work is usually sedentary, but it requires periods of walking, standing, bending, or climbing and employee may carry light items such as books, instruments, lap tops and other similar materials. The candidate selected must successfully complete a pre-employment physical examination prior to appointment.

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, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. For internal selectees eligible for promotion, the board will determine grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.

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.