The incumbent:

1. Will conduct mental health evaluations and psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members. The incumbent functions as the ED provider for patients who present to the ED with behavioral health concerns, providing crisis intervention, provisional diagnosis, treatment and disposition recommendations. Work may involve consultation with the on-call psychiatrist.
2. On inpatient psychiatry, conducts interviews and completes psychosocial assessments, MHICM screens, and Advance Directive screening/completion as indicated, on any new admissions within 48 hours.
3. Suicide Risk Evaluation-Comprehensive will be completed in the ED, or if not done in ED, within 24 hours of admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
4. Completes Suicide Behavior Overdose Report on any patient who is reports a suicide attempt or other self-directed violent behavior within 24 hours of admission, if one is not already completed.
5. Identifies patients at high risk for lethality and refer for suicide prevention case management services.
6. Obtain releases for family, community resources and other government agencies.
7. Contact family/friends for collateral information, and to engage in discharge planning, and continuing care, with permission of patient.
8. Discharge planning:
   • Coordinate return to previous location as appropriate.
   • Generate referrals for needed programs and services, including but not limited to: housing or shelters, supported living or institutional care, substance abuse services, homecare services, other support and case management services. Health Buddy, MHICM, and Psychosocial Rehab and Recovery Program, and facilitates consults and appointments for aftercare.
   • Assure patient has MH follow up in accordance with National Performance Measure.
   • Arrange appropriate level of transportation, assuring pt. safety.
9. Provides individual, family and group counseling as appropriate.
10. Makes referrals to a variety of appropriate programs such as Health Buddy, MHICM, Home Health Services, and Psychosocial Rehab and Recovery Program, and facilitates consults and appointments for aftercare.
11. Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, and VA benefits.
12. Provides case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.
13. Addresses Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area.
14. As appropriate, supervises the practice of social work interns, or a less experienced social worker.
15. Participates in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by their supervisor.
16. Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, VA and medical center policy and procedures.
17. Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death.
18. Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends.
19. Assures timely and accurate documentation, using appropriate notes and templates as defined within the facility ED, Suicide Prevention Program and behavioral health.
20. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned by the supervisor as needed for the benefit of the Veteran, family, and quality of services provided. Provides cross coverage for suicide prevention case managers and inpatient psychiatry social workers.

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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Must be licensed Social Worker

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: Must meet educational Qualifications. See below for each Series educational requirements.
Licensure: Must possess a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
English Proficiency: must be proficient in spoken and written English
Experience: Must meet specialized experience requirements. See below for each Series experience requirements.

Social Worker GS-11 - Experience, Education and Licensure:

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.

Experience: 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.

License: 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.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs below.
Social Worker Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
2. Ability to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and assistance needed, in collaboration with the patient, family and interdisciplinary treatment team.
3. Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) and the differential influences of the environment, society and culture.
4. Knowledge and experience in the use 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.
5. Knowledge of psychosocial treatment and ability to independently implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals. This requires independent judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving or crisis intervention techniques.
6. Ability to independently provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups and families. Social workers must practice within the bounds of their license or certification. For example, some states may require social workers providing psychotherapy to have a clinical level of licensure.
7. Ability to provide consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Ability to provide orientation and coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students. Ability to serve as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements.
8. Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means.
9. Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data
management, and tracking, especially those programs in use by VHA.

References: VA Handbook 5005/23 Part II Appendix G39

Physical Requirements: Work is divided between office and clinical ward settings, and is primarily sedentary. May require prolonged standing, moderate walking, and manual dexterity. May require carrying light items, such as books, files, or laptop computer. Work requires extreme patience and controlling one's emotions. The work may also require assisting physically disabled clients and may include lifting them.

****LCSW is preferred*****

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.