Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates 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
• Social Worker - 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
• 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 - Social Worker Qualification Standards - GS-185 - Veterans Health Administration
• 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: Traveling throughout the medical center is required - as is performing activities involving sitting - walking - standing - bending - and carrying such items as books - paper - and files
• In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans - their families - representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies
• The incumbent must possess a current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out processional duties when deemed necessary.

Duties

• The Behavioral Health Care Line at the New Mexico VA Health Care System is seeking a full-time Social Worker to provide evidence-based assessments - psychotherapy - and discharge planning for Veterans in the Inpatient Psychiatry Program in Albuquerque - New Mexico
• The incumbent is responsible for the management - coordination and provision of social work services to veterans and their families in the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit of the NMVAHCS
• This is one of two social workers assigned to this unit
• The incumbent is responsible for completing psychosocial history and assessments - advance directives - treatment planning - case management - individual - couples and group counseling - and coordination of discharge plans for veterans admitted to the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit
• The incumbent is responsible for completing the following duties/responsibilities: is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines
• will participate in discharge planning with other disciplines - and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate
• will act as liaison between VA and community resources - to include marketing needed - throughout the continuum of care
• Finally - the incumbent will provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case management
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: The incumbent performs social work clinical and administrative duties in an inpatient mental health treatment setting - with discharge coordination as a major component
• Will be a primary member of the interdisciplinary team to identify and provide a full spectrum of social work services to veterans on an inpatient basis
• participates in providing a training environment for psychiatry residents - psychology interns - nursing students and trainees for other disciplines - in addition to providing direct supervision for social work interns on occasion
• Will provide complex clinical services to veterans with serious problems including being responsible for treatment team planning - case management - screening and discharge follow up
• Conduct psychosocial assessments with patients and families to assess psychosocial - health care - financial and discharge needs of the patients
• Conduct interviews with the patients and their families to assess the appropriate level of care for patients needing continued residential care
• and interact with internal and external residential programs and agencies to identify appropriate placement options
• Coordinate and ensure a safe transition from the hospital to the identified residential situation
• Collaborate with primary care providers - VA - government and community programs - agencies and institutions to ensure continuity of care and follow up service for patients upon discharge to facilitate continued recovery
• Also monitor veteran's progress after discharge by contacted veteran/families within two working days to assess the veteran's condition and then document the contact in t eh patient's record
• Conduct discharge planning groups and assist patients with applying for financial assistance and finding alternate housing options
• Administrative duties include documentation of patient contacts into the patient record in CPRS and also workload reporting
• Participation in committees and membership in the ward - leadership will be required
• Supervision of social work student interns - documentation of their progress - and interacting with their school liaison
• Also - community outreach and interaction with internal and external agencies
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 0800 - 1630 EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized