Career Center

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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• 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 4 accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• Licensure
• Individuals assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• 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)
• Grandfathering Provision
• The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• 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
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: 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
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protection
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
• Grade Determinations:
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• 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
• 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 - 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: PRRC seeks a SW candidate who is licensed and has demonstrated competency in independent clinical practice - which may include conducting individual therapy - group therapy - and/or case management
• Experience working in a mental health clinic (inpatient or outpatient) is preferred - and the ideal candidate would have one or more of the following: Experience working with people who experience serious mental illness Demonstrated competence in conducting evidence based psychotherapy Experience working effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary - however incumbent should be able to perform prolonged walking and standing necessary to conduct worksite visits - employer tours - etc
• Incumbent must possess a valid driver's license in order to transport Veterans in government vehicle to interviews - tours - etc
• with employers or other community resources.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Incumbent is a professional social worker assigned to the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System Mental Health Clinic
• As the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) Social Worker - the incumbent social worker serves as recovery coach for the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC)
• As the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) Social Worker the incumbent social worker's duties may include - but are not limited to the following tasks: Clinical Duties (90%): Providing a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice throughout the continuum of care which include psychosocial assessment - individual - family and group counseling - discharge planning - case management - coping with grief and loss - and other services as appropriate within the framework of a recovery-oriented - multi-disciplinary treatment team
• Providing individual and group consultation/psycho-education and skill-building training to veterans and families on community resources - advance directives and VA benefits
• Completing brief assessments to recommend appropriate treatment planning and service recommendations
• Acting as a consultant to other team/staff members
• Providing consultation/education to medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedure
• Acting as liaison between VA and community resources - to include marketing and public relation duties as needed
• Providing wellness/prevention education and facilitate Patient/family support groups as appropriate
• Conducting Role Recovery oriented groups/education on the Psychiatric inpatient units
• Supervising - as appropriate - the practice of social work students - for a less experienced social worker
• Administrative Duties (10%): Participating in committee assignments - as deemed necessary by the service chief
• Maintaining data and statistical compilations to comply with JCAHO - VA and medical center policy and procedures
• Documenting social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care
• Participating in a rotation of on-call social workers - including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends
• Addressing Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area
• Work Schedule: Mon - Fri
• Negotiable - will be discussed during the interview process
• Compressed/Flexible: May be available at supervisor discretion
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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: Ad-Hoc Telework - per agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 91954-0 - GS-11
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized