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 education or licensure requirements may be referred - tentatively selected - but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• The requirements for VHA social workers are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9) - amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - November 1 - 2000
• To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: 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)
• A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for a 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 master's of Social Work
• Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social work positions in VHA must be licensed 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: 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 will provide the unlicensed social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline
• GS-9 grade level: VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment
• 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
• Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/
• Failure to Obtain License or Certification: Failure to become licensed within the prescribed time will result in removal from the Social Worker series and may result in termination of employment
• Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed - social workers must maintain a full - valid - unrestricted independent license to remain qualified for 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: In addition to the above for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-9: Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• Assess the psychosocial functioning needs of Veterans and their family members to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• 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
• 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
• Entry Level Assignments: Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised - as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure
• Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Duties may include - but are not limited to: Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - or exploitation - providing education - social work case management - acting as an advocate of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• identifying the strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - psychosocial acuity - and assisting with the appropriate referrals
• GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision
• 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 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 the community and other governmental agencies for services - and the ability to coordinate services
• Independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds
• Medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - 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
• Independently implementing different treatment modalities - working with individuals - families - and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and social problems to achieve treatment goals
• Provide consultation services to new social workers - social work graduate students - and other staff about the needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment
• Full Performance Level Assignments: This is the full performance level
• Social workers at this level are licensed to independently practice social work
• Incumbents are assigned to all program areas - including but not limited to mental health - rehabilitation - and geriatrics
• Provide professional - independent social work services in the assigned area
• Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation - or intimate partner violence
• maintaining Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policy
• acting as an advocate with VA and community service providers when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• Independently formulate and implement a treatment plan - including achievable goals - identifying the needs - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• Providing subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the treatment of Veterans - offering professional opinions based on experience - expertise - and role modeling effective social work practice skills
• 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-09 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The purpose of this assignment is to provide a full range of comprehensive and professional medical social work services to Veterans and their families who are admitted to the Emergency Department or Inpatient Medicine-Surgery Units at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System
• The incumbent provides screening - assessment - and care coordination - resource referral - and discharge planning to individuals and families with a variety of social - emotional - and health-related challenges
• Services are timely and effectively coordinated with other health professionals - including the attending physician - medical interns and residents - physical and occupational therapists - nurses - social workers from other VA programs - nurse case managers - pharmacists - etc
• GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: GS-9: The social worker is supervised by the Supervisory Social Worker
• Work is reviewed through regularly scheduled meetings with the supervisor - through monitoring of progress notes and other accountability practices - and from reports from the program areas to which the incumbent is assigned
• All social work duties must be under the close supervision of a social work supervisor or licensed social worker of a higher grade
• GS-11: The social worker performs duties independently - reporting to the Supervisory Social Worker - Acute Medicine Section
• Supervision/consultation is of an administrative and professional nature
• Work is reviewed by spot-check - through regularly scheduled meetings with the supervisor - through monitoring of recording and other accountability practices - and from reports from the program areas to which the incumbent is assigned
• Screening/Assessment: With guidance from the social work supervisor - the Social Worker will conduct an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Veteran - family members - and significant others
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: Incumbent is responsible for working with the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on their assessment - setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family
• Referral to service providers and discharge planning: Throughout the course of treatment - the social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources and discharge planning
• Resource Usage/Development: The incumbent is responsible for knowing and enhancing current social work resources
• Advocacy: The incumbent understands the challenges of navigating bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family
• Crisis Intervention: In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency - staff will follow the protocol of the program at this VA facility
• Supportive counseling: Social worker will provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling during their hospitalization
• Consultation - Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans
• Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm or as determined by the supervisor
• Compressed/Flexible: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for the incentive
• Contact v21ccoeedrp@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator - for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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 off 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: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 10304-F - 100092-F