Summary

The Social Worker (PACT) is located with Social Services at the El Paso VA Health Care System. The incumbent will provide a variety of biopsychosocial assessments and case management services with individual Veterans and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical and social problems.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in written or spoken English
• 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
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Please see the Additional Information Section of this announcement for details
• Grade Determinations: GS-09 Social Worker - Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• 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 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 - you must possess 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
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing social work case management
• acting as an patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members
• In collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams - identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity
• Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals
• -OR- 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
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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 - educational - and other 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
• Preferred Experience: Screening - assessments - treatment planning - goal setting and case management.
• Experience crisis intervention Resources and referrals Care coordination 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-09 to GS-11
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses - and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: *The incumbent must use their skills in assessing and treating biopsychosocial problems of Veterans and their families/significant others
• Social Worker responsibilities include the management of crisis intervention - the assessment of biopsychosocial problems that cause distress - impacting health conditions and creating barriers to care *The incumbent must complete comprehensive assessments to determine the influence of social drivers of health on the presenting problem(s) *Evaluates interpersonal and environmental factors impacting the problem - and its effect on the patient's ability and desire to comply with the treatment recommendations by the multidisciplinary team
• *Coordinate with VA staff and community agencies to secure services and assist in problem-solving as needed
• Case management with members of the outpatient multidisciplinary team is provided to coordinate a collaborative effort - to meet the agreed upon goals - and include collaboration with community professionals regarding needed services for Veterans and/or their families
• *Assesses the Veterans biopsychosocial status as well as the state of the social system - arranges - coordinates - monitors - evaluates - and advocates for multiple services to meet the specific needs of the Veterans and their families
• *Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for non-institutional - institutional services/programs and entitlements *Responsible for developing and maintaining a current resource file of VA and community social service programs and will refer the Veteran to needed services
• *Coordinates community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community agency programs *Act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family
• *Participates and assists in planning and executing outreach events for the purpose of providing education and expedited access to VA Care *Able to make rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans to maintain patient in the home - for admission to acute - short term and/or long-term placements *Responsible for the coordination of referrals for non-institutional services such as - but not limited to - Home Base Primary Care - home hospice - skilled - and non-skilled home care services - substance abuse - or behavioral health programs
• *Responsible for coordinating referrals of institutional placements in Medical Foster Homes - Assisted Living - Contract Nursing Home or non-contract community nursing home *Provide education related to VA and community resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will - and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for the identified health education needs to include Complementary and Integrative Health Services *Provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling and education *Responsible for supporting the mission - policies - and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs - the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and the facility
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:45pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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: Yes - as determined by the agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized This is a Bargaining Unit position