Career Center

Summary

VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary - secondary - tertiary - and quaternary care in outpatient - inpatient - residential - and community settings. VAPSHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Seattle - Washington - outpatient and residential facilities at American Lake Campus in Tacoma - Washington - and six Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

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. 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
• Language: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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
• 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
• In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record
• Failure to Obtain License or Certification
• In all cases - social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment
• Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• 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: GS-9 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 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Incumbents will be expected to perform a large part of their work in community settings
• Candidates must have an unrestricted drivers' license and be cleared to drive a government vehicle for transporting veterans
• 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 and carrying (15-44 lbs) - pushing (6 hrs) - operation of a motor vehicle - ability to distinguish basic colors - hearing (aid may be permitted) - exposure to outside and inside - working closely with others - working alone.

Duties

• Duties will vary based on grade
• At the GS-11 full performance level of this assignment - the incumbent is assigned to Community Housing and Outreach Services (CHOS) - specifically in Housing and Urban Development - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Programs at VA Puget Sound Health Care System located in the Puget Sound region - Washington with responsibility to provide direct services for Veterans - their families and caregivers
• Duties will include: Responsible for providing independent case management throughout the continuum of care for a caseload of Veterans in the HUD-VASH program
• Case management is defined as the provision of services by VA clinical staff to Veterans experiencing homelessness and includes all activities to provide appropriate treatment to house and maintain Veterans in HUD approved - stable housing
• Provides a full range of clinical services to include case work - individual - family and group counseling - discharge planning - case management and other services as appropriate
• Independently performs case finding functions and outreach - identifying and screening Veterans for current mental health status - housing status - access to resources - and other needs
• Provides independent evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions - including individual - family - and group psychotherapy
• Provides a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders - particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients many of whom have psychiatric and medical problems
• Assumes complete professional responsibility for their clinical assessment findings - patient care decisions - and documentation
• Is an active participant in the development of treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and the interdisciplinary treatment team
• Incumbent coordinates community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community agency programs
• Independently identifies high-risk patients
• Provides complex crisis intervention - clinical assessment and case management services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint
• Coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members
• Has working knowledge and experience in use 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
• Responsible for ensuring that Veterans experiencing homelessness are considered as primary participants for program acceptance
• Analyzes ethical/care issues - applying appropriate theoretical principles and ensures application of institutional policy
• Responsible for reviewing and facilitating agreements between Section-8 - landlords - Public Housing Authorities and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUDVASH placements
• Communicates effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds
• Incumbent maintains general knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs - service-connected compensation and non-service connected pension
• facilitates referrals based upon identified need and eligibility
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (Veterans - their representatives - visitors - and all VA staff) in a courteous - tactful - and respectful manner
• Performs site visits of HUD-VASH apartments - project-based facilities - and/or in community settings - in accordance with the Veteran's treatment plan/acuity level - to ensure that Veterans obtain housing and once housed - reside in safe environments - in compliance with local housing codes
• Coordinates care including serving as an advocate on behalf of Veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery and linking and referring Veterans to the VA Medical Center - VA Regional Offices - and/or community agencies
• Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability - terminal illness and death
• Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and is responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate
• Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources - advance directives and VA benefits
• May be asked to participate in a rotation of on-call social workers - including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends and/or after hours
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized