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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 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. (NOTE: This applies to the past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) only. HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or receiving VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC).) BASIC REQUIREMENTS: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a Social Worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. 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. 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. 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. 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: (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: (1) 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 (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.(b) 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.(c) 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.(d) 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.(e) 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. 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-9 to GS-11. References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G39. Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185 Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally. Reaching above shoulder; Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day); Sitting (4-7 hours per day); Walking up to 6 hours per day); Standing (up to 8 hours per day); Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs; Some bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. ["If you are NOT a current, permanent VA employee, you should apply under Job Opportunity Announcement 11573310. The incumbent serves as a Social Work RCS Vet Center Readjustment Counselor providing direct counseling services, outreach, referral, and follow-up care coordination to eligible individuals. In this capacity, the incumbent functions as a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of 4 or more members, including social workers, other mental health professionals, outreach workers and office managers. Duties include, but are not limited to: Provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the impact of military related psychological trauma and related psychosocial readjustment problems of eligible clients on their health care and readjustment to family, work and community. Responsible for providing the following Vet Center services to eligible individuals who are experiencing a variety of military related psychological and psychosocial problems. Working directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship and complete all required readjustment counseling intake procedures, including an assessment of risk for self-harm, military history and military related psychosocial stressors. Develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions, including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes. Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential psychosocial assessment and direct service delivery to eligible Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnostic inferences within the clinical scope of practice. Implements the individualized counseling plan through individual, group, marriage and/or family readjustment counseling. The incumbent provides therapeutic interventions with Veterans independently, within groups of other eligible Veteran clients, and within the context of their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated, behavioral health, financial, legal, and family psychosocial problems. Conducts timely assessment of Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety planning as appropriate. Links the Veteran with other community services, resources, and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. Maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services Contribute proactively to internal coordination of care and collaborative planning and problem solving among all staff. Work Schedule: 8:00AM - 4:30PM, Monday - Friday. May include evenings, weekends, and holidays.\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Annalyn Mears, at Annalyn.Mears@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]