Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week.

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Screening/Evaluation/Assessment - When in the ED, the social worker will evaluate the Veteran to determine whether acute psychiatric hospitalization is indicated by assessing strengths, limitations, abilities, preferences, risk factors, internal/external supports and service needs. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of diagnosis and the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions. When in the APU, the social worker will develop a psychosocial assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, limitations, abilities, preferences, risk factors, internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veteran's functional status. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of diagnosis and the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions. It is the responsibility of the social worker to participate in the treatment planning process with the Veteran and the interdisciplinary treatment team based on this assessment.

Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - When in the ED, the social worker will partner with ED Psych Provider to facilitate admission to APU as indicated. When in the APU, the social worker, working within the interdisciplinary treatment team, will participate in developing a mutually agreed upon treatment plan with the Veteran and family (when possible), which includes Veteran-centered goals, objectives and interventions. The treatment plan will be used to direct a course of treatment.

Referral to service providers - The social worker is a subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. When in the ED, the social worker will provide appropriate resources, based on assessment and expressed needs, to Veterans being discharged home or transferred to another facility.
On APU, throughout the course of treatment, the social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs. The social worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker.

Advocacy - Social worker understands the intricacies of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family. When appropriate and feasible, the social worker will educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate on own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.

Crisis Intervention - Social worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. Social worker has access to multiple resources in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis.

Education/Health promotion and prevention - Social worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Wills, MH Treatment Preferences and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.

Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services -The social worker will review the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for mental health services. Social worker will educate the Veterans, their families, and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the Veteran and family on the preferred option.

Counseling - Social worker will provide the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling, and individual, family and group psychotherapy throughout admission/ED visit. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with psychosocial stressors and other identified areas of difficulty.

Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm (Subject to change based upon the needs of the agency).
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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

Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week.

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States.
• Licensure: Candidate must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. [Copies of licensure/certification must be submitted with application packet]
• Education: Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. [Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. Conferral of degree(s) must be stated on transcript(s). Unofficial transcripts(s) are acceptable]

Preferred Experience:- Experienced in Crisis Intervention/Inpatient Mental Health

Grade Determinations:

GS-12 Senior Social Worker Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.
2. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
3. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
4. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.
5. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

Assignments. Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site; a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The senior social worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Infrequently, assignments may require prolonged standing. The selectee may carry light items, such as books, files, or a laptop computer. Duties require ability to walk distances, communicate verbally in a clear manner, which includes normal hearing and manual dexterity.

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.