"Alerted.org

Summary This position is responsible for the monitoring of, and assisting with discharge planning when necessary for, Veterans assigned to the PACT Team while Veterans are hospitalized in any number of local medical facilities. The incumbent must complete thorough assessments to determine the presenting problem to determine in-home factors impacting the problem and to determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments. Responsibilities VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz\_ua\_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Screening/Assessment: Completes an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. Understands the problems of advancing age and have respect for the diverse needs of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population. It is the responsibility of the Social Worker, working within the interdisciplinary treatment team, to share in the development of a treatment plan with the Veteran based on this assessment. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: Responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Referral to service providers: Throughout the course of treatment, the Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs. Responsible for educating the Veteran and family members/caregivers 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. Resource Usage/Development: Responsible for using the current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. Refers the Veteran to needed services. Advocacy: Understands the difficulty of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Educates and encourages the Veteran to advocate on his/her own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Crisis Intervention: Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. Accesses multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, follows the protocol of his/her respective clinic and the facility at the WTVAHCS. Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. Incumbent maintains knowledge of Suicide Prevention policy and procedure, recognizes warning signs for suicide ideation or recent self-directed violence, and utilizes the identified screening tools to assess suicide risk. Education/Health promotion and prevention: Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans and family members/caregiver to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. ***DUTIES CONTINUED IN EDUCATION SECTION*** Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 52929-F & 52930-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. 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). 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 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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.] Physical Standards. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Preferred Experience: Employment and/or Assignment is conditioned for the Candidate to complete licensure or certification at the independent level (master's level) within 3 years of her/his appointment as a Social Worker. Ability to engage and perform in basic level of General Direct Case Management and Crisis Intervention Psychosocial assessment or Biopsychosocial assessment completion. Treatment Plan and/or Plan of Action Development Ability to Engage, Advocate, Collaborate, Practice and Coordinate with Interdisciplinary teams and other services and disciplines within the VHA or in the Community and assist with discharges of Veterans from community inpatient facilities to close the gap of services for Veterans Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met. GS-9 Social Worker. Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.(b) 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.(c) 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.(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.(e) 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. GS-11 Social Worker. 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 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. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.(b) 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.(c) 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.(d) 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.(e) 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. Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties 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 and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. This position requires a valid driver's license. In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, their families, representative of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. Must possess current, valid driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed applicable. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting/Carrying (15-44 pounds); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking/Standing (4 hours); Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid permitted); Mental and Emotional Stability. Education ***DUTIES CONTINUED*** Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services: Reviews the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran. Educates the Veteran, their family members/caregiver and the team of all the options available to them and collaborates with the Veteran and family members/caregiver on the preferred option. Responsible for the monitoring of, and discharge planning for, Veterans assigned to the PACT Team while Veterans are hosThis includes on-site review and assessment at local facilities when deemed appropriate and necessary. Supportive counseling: Provides the Veterans and their family members/caregiver with ongoing supportive counseling to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/disabling illness(es), onset of a catastrophic illness mental illness(es), etc. Administrative responsibilities: Enters all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. The information is reviewed with the patient on a regular basis. Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attends all appropriate Social Work and interdisciplinary staff meetings. Collaborates in the performance improvement process and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program. Participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Failure to provide transcripts may result in non-referral of your application if education cannot be verified. If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Note: If your school was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. 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.