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Summary The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments (via the Psychiatry Inpatient Assessment), treatment planning (via Psychiatry Inpatient Treatment Plan), Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation when clinically indicated per policy, individual and family therapeutic interventions, educational groups, care coordination and discharge planning services to veterans admitted to inpatient psychiatry at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC. Responsibilities Duties Screening/Assessment -The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker independently screens and assesses the veteran's psychosocial needs, mental health/substance abuse treatment needs, and barriers in order to facilitate his or her discharge from the hospital. Through collaborative relationships with the interdisciplinary team, the veteran, his or her family/caregiver, and other VA programs and VA staff, the Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker coordinates the gathering of information vital to the process of setting appropriate treatment, follow-up medical care, mental health/substance abuse treatment, and discharge time frames. Assessment information includes, but is not limited to: Marital/family/social status Employment/financial status Use of entitlement programs Legal problems/issues Impact of medical problems on psychosocial functioning Strengths/Limitations Mental Health and Addictions issues Suicide and homicide assessment Spirituality and cultural issues Housing-appropriateness and needs Adult and childhood history Military history Sexual, emotional, and physical abuse history Employment, education, learning abilities and preferences Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - From screening/assessment information, the Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker determines realistic treatment goals and discharge goals that consider such factors as: Appropriateness of various mental health programs and or substance abuse treatments following discharge The setting conducive to providing such care The need for post-discharge interventions to enhance caregiver support to allow for the least restrictive level of care Transportation options/barriers The steps to obtaining resources (VA or community) that make the transition from the inpatient setting successful Referral to service providers - To facilitate the continuity of a veteran's recovery, the Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will arrange referrals/consults to needed VA and/or community resources. Resource Usage/Development - As a subject matter expert on the services and resources available to veterans through both VA and the community, the Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will monitor patterns of resource availability, identifying unmet needs and the resultant impact on the veteran's transition from the inpatient hospital setting. The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will communicate with appropriate stakeholders (e.g., Psychiatry service, the Social Work Executive, the Social Work Practice Council, other VA programs, community partners,) to encourage the development of new and innovative resources. Advocacy - The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will advocate for the hospitalized veteran to ensure that he or she has access to all needed care and resources within VA and in the community. By availing the veteran of his or her choices in complex decisions and by guiding the veteran through complicated enrollment procedures and bureaucratic processes, the Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker facilitates the best possible outcome for the veteran. Crisis Intervention - The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will participate in mitigating any medical or psychiatric crises arising in a hospitalized veteran, within the scope of social work practice, and may either participate in the collaborative development of, or reinforce the already established content of, Suicide Prevention Safety Plans, to minimize the event of future crises. Education/Health promotion and prevention - The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will provide education about VA and community resources, entitlement programs, VA benefits and Advance Directives/Living Wills, completing the advanced directive or living will as requested. Supportive counseling - The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will provide the hospitalized veteran and his or her family/caregivers with time-limited, supportive counseling, with the intent of assisting the veteran and family/caregivers in coping with the psychosocial impact of chronic and disabling illnesses, the onset of medical and psychiatric illnesses, bereavement issues, and domestic violence. Non-patient care responsibilities - The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker will enter all psychosocial assessments, treatment plans, veteran/family contacts, referrals, consults, group notes and discharge notes in the electronic medical record using appropriate formats and templates. Work Schedule: Full Time 0730-1600 or 0800-1630 Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz\_ua\_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Requirements 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 trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications 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: 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. Persons 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. Indiana requires Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements Demonstrate, in their resume, all of the following Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate, in their resume, all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge 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. Social Worker, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) 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. OR Additional 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 (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate, in their resume, all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 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. 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. 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. 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS9 to GS11. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Physical Requirements: The work of the social worker is community based with moderate physical activity. The incumbent must be able to operate a government vehicle several hours each day, walk up to a mile at a time, climb 2 to 3 flights of stairs at a time, and lift small objects . The incumbent must be capable of using a computer given all clinical charting is electronic. 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/. Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Whole Health Statement: VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.