The incumbent social worker is assigned to the Mental Health Integrated Clinical Community (MH ICC) at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. 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. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Education Requirement: Master of Social Work: Applicants must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Note: 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. OR Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Licensure Requirement: Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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. OR Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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 appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. OR Grandfathering Provision: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. 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). Preferred Experience: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder experience Grade Determinations GS-9 None beyond the basic requirements. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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. GS-11 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: 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. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G39 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. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES - Conduct behavioral health and mental health biopsychosocial assessments of Veterans - Make Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnoses of Veterans - Create comprehensive, recovery-focused behavioral health and mental health treatment plans for Veterans - Complete suicide/homicide risk assessments and safety plans as required - Provide clinically efficacious, evidence-based therapeutic services to include individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy/counseling services for Veterans - Provide Tele health therapy and case management interventions. - Interview Veterans and their families to develop/complete psychosocial assessments utilizing knowledge of human development and behavior and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture - Establish and maintain therapeutic alliances with Veterans and their families - Analyze complex psychological problems - Ability to understand mental health and medical diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology - Coordinate with internal and external and ancillary mental health professionals to ensure appropriate transitions of care and that appropriate and necessary treatment is provided/offered to Veterans - Develop and provide psychoeducational groups - Learn to utilize assessment and documentation processes for integrated models of care, including determining the appropriate level of care for Veterans not in specialty mental health treatment. - Educate and train other professionals and students in effective treatment modalities - Make sound professional judgments regarding clinical impressions, treatment approaches, and treatment planning - Establish/maintain expertise on VA services and benefits, and community resources - Establish/maintain effective relationships with various Veteran agencies and coordinate care with appropriate community services - Provide comprehensive Mental Health Treatment Coordination services within a team of interdisciplinary providers: - Recovery Model of Care will provide the framework for a collaborative relationship between the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator and the Veteran: Recovery-based goals enhance accessibility, accountability, and efficiency of services-guiding principles of the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator/Veteran relationship are self-direction and patient responsibility, the facilitation of strength, independence, and hope, and the empowerment of the Veteran in his/her personal health - Exercise mature professional judgment and flexible use of a wide range of clinical skills in support of the Veteran's treatment. - Provide advocacy to overcome potential barriers to access care/services and when it is in the best interests of the Veteran. Educate and empower the Veteran/family to advocate on his/her own behalf - Identify service gaps and collaborate with others in the MH ICC to encourage development or modification of services to meet the needs of Veterans - Provide health care education and/or referral to qualified health care educators to Veterans and their families - Provide education and assist in the completion of Advance Directives and release of information forms; and Guardianship documentation as requested - Maintain accurate, timely, and complete clinical records in accordance with professional practice and VA administration guidelines - Possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. - Attend and participate in all required clinical and administrative meetings - Participate in Social Work Professional Practice Evaluation processes - Collaborate in performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for specific population/program - Conduct practice in accordance with the NASW Social Work Code of Ethics and VA Ethical Standards - Practice within the limits of current licensure or certification - Ability to provide orientation or mentoring to new social workers and social work graduate students - Perform other duties as assigned - May be detailed to other areas of need in the MH ICC to meet the needs of the health care system, and will be determined by the direct supervisor, the Social Work Executive, and the MH ICC Director, which typically will not exceed 25% of the total hours per week Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm Evening and Weekends maybe required Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
