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. 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. Learn more To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 worker 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. Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Exception: 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. Grade Determinations: GS-9: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. 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. In addition to the experience and licensure or education above, the candidate 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 dated September 10, 2019 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: Work requires light lifting (under 15lbs), moderate carrying (15-44lbs), use of fingers, walking, standing, 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, and hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental factors are working outside and inside, working closely with others, and working alone. ["Social Worker provides clinical psychosocial and Evidence Based Therapies to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs under the Suicide Prevention and Substance Use Disorder expansion initiative. Their health care and psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require clinical oversight and creative problem solving. SW is required to interact not only with the patient but also family, significant others, community agencies, and other staff. Duties will vary based on grade. At the GS-11 level, duties will include, but are not limited to: Interviews Clients and Conducts Psychosocial Assessments Interviews veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Serve Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support. Makes Psychosocial Diagnoses Evaluates the client's situation. Performs insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness involving psychiatric, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses. On an inpatient/outpatient basis, finds a suitable means of treatment to help veterans and/or significant others copes with stressful situations. Plans Effective Treatment Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Independently concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran. Responsible for clinical Social Work practice in the area or program to which assigned. Makes adjustments to the psychosocial treatment plan and interventions based on changing needs and response to interventions. Participates in the assignment of veterans to treatment teams and programs. Consults with other specialists in planning treatment for veterans and with co-morbidities. Implements Treatment Provides clinical services to veterans and family members/significant others in support of the veteran's treatment. Provides individual and group therapy to patients and their families, on a regularly scheduled basis to engage in activities and/or discussion designed to improve patients' cognitive, social, emotional, vocational and/or behavioral functioning. Organizes community services on behalf of beneficiaries, developing and coordinating procedures for use of these services by related staff. Professional judgment, including knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior, is an inherent competency applied in daily interactions with veterans. Demonstrates acceptance, interest, encouragement, and selective use of questioning, explanation, and guidance in working with veterans to help them explore their problems. Receives and completes requests for services (consults) from interdisciplinary team members and from other Social Workers on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise. Evaluation, Education, Supervision, Coaching, and Mentoring Establishes a continuing relationship with the veteran, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up, and referral. Explains veteran's treatment and progress to third parties as appropriate. Directs/coordinates clinical and psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the services provided. Provides orientation and on-going training to Social Workers and interdisciplinary team members. Serves as a mentor to other Social Workers, particularly those at the entry level. As a field instructor or preceptor, supervises Social Work graduate students and provides a training experience for them in Social Work. Provides training to students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines. Offers patient and family/significant other educational services. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Stacy Hermann, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance at V20CompensationTeam@va.gov\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]