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The Social Worker position is responsible for the management, coordination and provision of social work services to veterans and their families on the Acute Medical/Surgical/ICU and the Emergency/Urgent Care. A recruitment incentive may be granted for a highly qualified applicant. 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Education Requirement: Master of Social Work: Must possess a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Note: 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. Licensure Requirement: Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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. OR Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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 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. Grade Determinations: GS-9 None beyond the basic requirements. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the applicant's resume must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. 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, the applicant's resume 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 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: Light lifting and carrying up to 15 pounds to lift items such as books, binders, reports and records. ["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. 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. Learn more Major duties include, but are not limited to: Conducts psychosocial assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members. Active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. Provides crisis and emergent services to the emergency room and ICU during tour hours as backup coverage as needed. Will perform suicide risk assessments, safety planning, and crisis intervention in the ER/ICU and PACT clinic as needed. Provides primary coverage and assume workflow from the acute medicine unit. Will perform all duties related to the acute medicine unit as needed and in rotation as determined among assigned social workers. Provides individual, family and group counseling as appropriate. Provides consultation/education to veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits. Consultant to other team/staff members. Provides consultation/education to medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedure. Liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. Provides case management to veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care. Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. Addresses Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area. Provides wellness/prevention education and facilitate Patient/family support groups as appropriate. Supervises the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker, as appropriate. Coordinates treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for veterans. Participates in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager. Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with JCAHO, VA and medical center policy and procedures. Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death. Documents social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU\nWork Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact vhavisn23edrp@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]