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This position is located at Coatesville VAMC within the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP). The RRTP provides residential services addressing substance use disorders, PTSD, and other mental health and psychosocial conditions. Basic Requirements: 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 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. 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. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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-9. No experience, education, or licensure beyond the basic requirements. The candidate must demonstrate all of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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. Social Worker, GS-11. 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. In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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. Preferred Experience: Working with substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and homelessness. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G39 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: The work is mostly sedentary and requires sitting, standing, bending and carrying light items (15 lbs.) such as charts, papers and books. Occasional lifting of heavier loads, as in assisting the moving of a patient from a wheelchair to a chair is required. A significant amount of standing and walking up to 4 hours per day is also required. Must perform rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. ["The RRTP social worker independently provides psychosocial and case management services to eligible veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social and environmental needs. Veterans treated come from a wide geographic area. Their health care and psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem-solving. Services may be provided across healthcare settings, both inpatient and ambulatory, and in the community. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Interviews Clients and Conducts Psychosocial Assessments. Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Uses advanced clinical training, insight and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Assesses high risk factors, acuity and need for services. Based on the psychosocial assessment, uses professional judgment and independent practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Serve veterans who tend to have serious 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, have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Provides consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. Responsible for carrying out/implementing all social work functions/duties in the area or program to which assigned, including promotion of Social Work services as a key component of treatment. Provides social work services to veterans and family members/significant others in support of the veteran's treatment. Organizes community services on behalf of beneficiaries, developing and coordinating procedures for use of these services by related staff. Monitors veteran's progress, maintains comprehensive documentation, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders, and shows competent discretion in decision to adjust treatment. Documents in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral. Makes adjustments to the psychosocial treatment plan and interventions based on changing needs and response to interventions. Establishes a continuing relationship with the veteran, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate. Explains veteran's treatment and progress to third parties as appropriate. Directs/coordinates psychosocial services for their assigned caseload and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the social work services provided. Directs activities to maximize effectiveness, efficiency and continuity of care for veterans. Educates interdisciplinary team members on psychosocial treatment and on the services available from social workers. Offers patient and family/significant other educational services. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Varies\nCompressed/Flexible: Available\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000 / Social Worker\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]