Job Seekers

The Muskogee Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Mental Health Service Line is currently recruiting for 3 psychotherapy providers for the Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP) for the new Tulsa Outpatient Clinic based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is a multi-discipline position and selections can be made from the following: Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist or Psychologist. 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) English Language Proficiency. 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 the social worker position GS-0185 series in the 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/ORHM//T38Hybrids. 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. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements (2) 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. 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 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, 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 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G-39 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Must be able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity, must be able to express or exchange ideals by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties may include, but are not limited to:\n*Performs psychosocial assessments for individuals enrolled in the BMS with DSM diagnoses and/or comorbid diagnoses such as: substance use, trauma related, anxiety, mood, psychotic, and personality disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. Collaboration with the Veteran, other team members, family members, guardians, and other significant others and review of past medical records is essential in this assessment process,\n*The goal of the assessment is to obtain accurate history, define symptoms, make diagnosis and identify treatment goals. The assessment also highlights the Veterans strengths, limitations, supports and services needed to optimize the Veterans preferred status.\n*Responsible for working with the Veteran to outline their personal recovery and treatment goals. Once goals are established with the Veteran and the interdisciplinary BHIP team the social worker will develop a treatment plan with measurable and obtainable goals by the 5th session. Ongoing assessments and updating of recovery and treatment plans are done in accordance with program guidelines.\n*Provides clinical services to Veterans and family members. The social worker will provide individual, family and group psychotherapy. The therapeutic process assists Veterans in addressing and solving their problems. The social worker educates and assists Veterans in problem solving techniques, rational thinking, and action planning. The social worker demonstrates acceptance, interest, encouragement and selectively uses questioning, explanation and guidance to help Veterans explore their problems. Professional judgment, including knowledge of DSM symptoms and diagnosis is an inherent competency applied in daily interactions with Veterans. The social worker is responsible for having a highly developed professional, clinical, and advance practice skills that are routinely used to treat Veteran with complex problems, histories of non-compliance, and inability or unwillingness to participate in treatment.\n* Throughout the course of treatment, the social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and community resources. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for VA, community and entitlement services. The social worker will educate and coordinate available services for the Veteran and assist them in the decision-making process based on the Veterans preferences and treatment goals. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm CST\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 52725-O\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]